Penelope Cruz may get her license after Bono gifted her a car
Penelope Cruz says Bono gave her a car for her April birthday — and that gift from the U2 frontman may finally push the Oscar winner, 52, to get a driver's license after a lifetime fear of driving rooted in childhood trauma when she saw her sister struck by a vehicle.
The Spanish actress opened up during a Hot Ones interview with host Sean Evans, in an episode released Thursday. She admitted she had not planned to share the story publicly, but Bono's surprise present has become what she called "the ultimate push" to confront a phobia she has carried for decades.
Key Takeaways
- Bono gifted Penelope Cruz a car for her April birthday, though she did not reveal the make or model.
- Cruz, 52, has never held a driver's license and describes a "very deep fear" of driving and riding in cars.
- Her anxiety traces to childhood, when she watched her younger sister Monica get hit by a car; Monica later made a full recovery.
- Cruz told Sean Evans that after receiving a car from Bono, failing to get licensed would feel unreasonable.
- She and husband Javier Bardem have both avoided driving despite starring in films centered on cars and racing.
Why has Penelope Cruz never learned to drive?
Cruz told Evans that her fear is not casual nerves — it is tied to one of the most traumatic memories of her childhood. She was around eight years old when she witnessed her sister Monica, an actress three years her junior, being struck by a car.
Monica recovered without lasting injury, but the incident left a permanent mark. Cruz said she still feels dread within 10 or 15 minutes of riding in a vehicle, even with a professional driver at the wheel. "Every time I get in a car, I feel like, 'Okay, here we go. Are we going to make it or not?'" she said on the show.
What did Bono give Penelope Cruz for her birthday?
According to Cruz, her longtime friend Bono — the 66-year-old U2 frontman — bought her a car as a birthday gift in April. She did not disclose what kind of vehicle it was, but she made clear the gesture carried weight.
"My friend Bono gave me a car for my last birthday," she told Evans. "He gave me a car, and I think that is like the ultimate push to do it." She added: "After you get a car from Bono, you don't get your license? How crazy is that?"
The pair have been friends for years. They were first photographed together in St. Tropez in 2007 and have appeared at events together since. For more on stories like this, see our Celebrity Breaking News coverage.
Could Penelope Cruz actually get her license now?
Cruz stressed she is only "thinking about" learning to drive again — not announcing a firm timeline. At 52, she has spent most of her adult life avoiding the driver's seat entirely. Her husband, Javier Bardem, has also said he barely knows how to drive, a detail People noted amid the irony of both stars appearing in driving-focused films.
Still, fans and commentators see a shift. Cruz is openly discussing the possibility on a major platform, and a gift from one of music's biggest names is hard to ignore. Whether she passes a driving test remains to be seen — but for an A-lister who has long sidestepped the road, even talking about a license marks a notable turn.