Penelope Cruz Gave birth; Javier Bardem is now a father

Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem

Penelope Cruz is one of my favorite actresses of all time. I first saw her in "Belle Epoque" in 1994 when this film won best foreign film category in Oscar. She was young then and very beautiful little did I know that she will become one of the best and known actress in the world. She was also linked to Tom Cruise and did "Vanilla Sky" which was a repeat for her because she did it already this film in Spain with Eduardo Noriega. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem met each other when they did "Jamon! Jamon!" in 1992. There last film was in 2008 "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" in which Penelope Cruz won best supporting actress in academy awards or Oscar.

Here is the complete news about her and Javier from ABS-CBN:


MADRID - Oscar-winning Spanish film stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem have become the parents of a baby boy, their first child, born in Los Angeles, Spanish media reported Wednesday.
Cruz gave birth at the Cedars Sinai medical centre in Beverly Hills on Saturday, the Spanish celebrity magazine Hola! said on its website.

It gave no details on the name of the boy or his birth weight.
The birth came just three days before Bardem received his third Academy Award nomination, for his performance in the film "Biutiful" by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Cruz, 36, and Bardem, 41, met when they starred opposite each other as lusty teens in the Spanish film "Jamon, Jamon," back in 1992.

In 2008 they were back together on the silver screen in Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", for which Cruz won an Academy Award as best supporting actress.
The couple married in July last year at a ceremony in the Bahamas.
Bardem, also nominated for an Oscar in "Before Night Falls" (2000), won an Academy Award in 2007 for his role in "No Country for Old Men."

Spain's leading daily, El Pais, also reported the couple had become parents but did not provide details as to when the baby was born or whether it was a boy or a girl.
It said "friends of Bardem began to suspect (the baby was born) when the actor did not respond to any calls to congratulate him on his (Oscar) nomination."

"The couple want to have as much privacy as possible," the paper said on its website, quoting family sources.
The agency representing the couple in Spain declined to comment on the reports.
The actors had kept their romance quiet for years, but Bardem got personal when he won a best actor award at Cannes film festival in May for his role in "Biutiful."
"I share the joy of this prize with my friend, my companion, my love, Penelope Cruz," Bardem said at the time.
"I owe you so much, and I love you very much," Bardem said, drawing tears from Cruz, a longtime muse of Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

Hola! said Cruz's mother, Encarna, sister Monica, also an actress, and her brother Eduardo were in Los Angeles for the birth at Cedars Sinai, the hospital of choice for Hollywood stars.
It said Bardem's mother, well-known Spanish actress Pilar Bardem, traveled from Madrid on Monday to meet her grandson.

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Why Binibining Pilipinas Lost the Miss World Franchise?

We all knew that the Bb. Pilipinas will no longer select a candidate for Miss World because Julia Morley award it to Cory Quirino the wellness Guru. Miss World 2011 Miss Alexandria Mills and her runner up with Chairwoman of the board Julia Morley is here in the Philippines to personally award the franchise to Miss Cory Quirino. Ruffa Guiterez and Evangeline Pascual was also present during the ceremony in Shang-rila .

Here is an article that said why Morley want her pageant to be separated from Binibining Pilipinas:

A separate Miss World-Philippines search
By Patricia Esteves (The Philippine Star) Updated January 26, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (0)

MANILA, Philippines - Starting this year, a Bb. Pilipinas-World crown will no longer be among the top three plums in the iconic Bb. Pilipinas pageant. There will be a separate search for Miss World Philippines, the winner of which will represent the country in the Miss World contest.

Julia Morley, chairman and CEO of Miss World Limited, arrived on Monday to announce the awarding of the exclusive licensee agreement of Miss World Philippines to media personality and wellness guru Cory Quirino who will take charge of the first Miss World Philippines tilt this August.

In a press conference at the Shangri-La Makati yesterday, Morley said they made the move so they can focus on their socio-civic projects and raise more funds for poor beneficiaries in the Philippines, particularly the PGH Medical Foundation and Tuloy Street Children Foundation.

“The job of Miss World is always for fund-raising. The crown is a symbol of fund-raising. Our aim, our vision at Miss World is always ‘Beauty with a Purpose.’ What is a crown without a purpose?’” explained Morley who is in Manila for the first time since Miss World was established in 1951.

Also present at the presscon were reigning Miss World Alexandria Mills (of USA), 2010 Miss World first runner-up Emma Wareus, 1973 Miss World first runner-up Evangeline Pascual and 1993 Miss World Second Princess Ruffa Gutierrez.

Morley clarified that she has no intention to offend or rile Madame Stella Marquez Araneta, head of the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) in the decision to hold an individual Miss World contest. She reiterated that her primary reason to separate is to focus more on their vision to raise funds for their beneficiaries and they can do this if they hold a separate contest.

2010 Miss World Alexandria Mills (of USA): Beauty with a purpose “The truth is I needed to give the Philippines as many opportunities. We need to raise funds for poor and sick at the PGH for their ventilation, the antibiotics, more medical equipment. The thing is I want to be involved. I can’t do that if we don’t have an individual contest. I don’t have a voice here before and now I want to be involved, I want to be connected. We have big plans to raise money for the children,” said Morley.

She said her heart bled when she paid a visit to the PGH and saw the miserable conditions of the children, particularly a scene when a nurse was operating a manual ventilator to an asthma patient.

“The thing is I don’t want to battle with anyone. This is not a fight, there is no dispute. We will always honor other beauty contests. I know that during the time that Stella ran the tilt with Miss World, she’s done a good job. But now, I would like to have my own contest so I can be more involved. I want my own brand and not be lumped with other people. I want to stand alone for Filipino children.”

She expressed hope that Madame Araneta will not take offense.

“She has three or four titles and if she’s got one less to worry about, then it’d be good. I don’t want to be childish or selfish. There are too many nasty things in the world. Being negative is not good for the people.”Morley also said the awarding of the license was a highlight of her world tour, calling it a momentous occasion for Miss World organizers.

The organization is currently celebrating its 60thyear of “Beauty with a Purpose” and has raised more than $400M in support of children’s charities across the globe since its inception.

“The Philippines is a great country and has the most beautiful places so we’d be excited if we can hold it here,” she said.

Quirino, for her part, said accepting the offer was the greatest decision of her life.

“We are entering into a new era of pageants, in keeping with our mission and values. With more than 15 years as an officer serving Rotary International Districts 3818 and 3830, I have found the focus on community development by the organizers of Miss World congruent with my continuing advocacies,” Quirino said. “It’s my commitment to be a catalyst for women and children’s health, development and empowerment. Socio-civic undertakings will be a core activity of Miss World Philippines.”

Applicants to the Miss World Philippines must be 17 to 24 years old, tall, has a big heart for service, has beauty, intelligence and love for her country.

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Danica Flores Magpantay is Super Model of the World 2011

Danica Flores Magpantay is Super Model of the World 2011. She is the first Filipina to win the contest. Former Miss International join the contest in 1986 and won first runners-up to this contest which was won by Canada. Last year Philippines was first runner up again. The 17 years old Filipina called her mother after declared as a winner. She won $250,000 modelling contract.

Here is the news from Yahoo.com:

Toast of the town si Danica Flores Magpantay.

Ang 17-year-old daughter ng 1990 Supermodel of the World - Philippines winner, Lala Flores, ang idineklara ng Ford Models bilang winner ng 2011 Supermodel of the World.

Danica is a B.S. Fine Arts student major in Visual Communication at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Siya ang pinakabata at kauna-unahang Pilipina na nanalo sa prestigious modelling contest ng Ford Models.

Bukod sa title na Supermodel of the World, tatanggap si Danica ng $250,000-modelling contract mula sa sikat na modelling agency sa buong mundo.

August 2010 nang magdesisyon si Danica na subukan ang modeling at sinuportahan ito ng kanyang mga magulang.

Nag-enroll siya sa Masters School for Models at dito siya natuto ng wastong paglalakad at body posture.

Ang mga mentor ni Danica ang nagkumbinsi sa kanya na sumali sa Supermodel of the Philippines contest noong nakaraang taon at siya ang pinalad na manalo. Kasali rin sa contest ang kanyang kapatid na si Danielle.

Si Eileen Ford ang founder ng Ford Models. Noong 1980, tinatag niya ang Supermodel of the World Contest para makatuklas ng mga bagong modelo para sa fashion industry.

Face of the '80s ang dating pangalan ng modelling contest ng Ford Models. Ang former Miss International na si Melanie Marquez ang unang Filipina na sumali sa Face of the '80s noong 1986 at siya ang tinanghal na first-runner up kay Monica Schnarre ng Canada.

Kabilang din sina Charo Ronquillo at Charlene Almarvez sa mga Filipina models na sumali sa Supermodel of the World. Si Charo ang 3rd runner-up sa 2006 edition ng contest at si Chat ang 1st runner up noong 2010.

Taon-taon, limampung modelo mula sa iba't-ibang bansa ang sumasali sa Supermodel of the World Contest, dahil bukod sa malaking premyo ($250,000 modeling contract sa Ford Models para sa grand winner, and $150,000 at $100,000 respectively, para sa mga runners-up), naniniwala sila na malaki ang maitutulong ng contest para matupad ang kanilang pangarap na ma-penetrate ang international fashion industry.

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