Penelope gets raunchy for 'Nine'

Spanish actress Penélope Cruz stars as Carla Albanese in the film version of the musical 'Nine' along with other Oscar winners Sophia Loren, Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard.

The film stars Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis ('There Will be Blood') as world famous film director Guido Contini as he prepares his latest picture and balances the numerous women in his life played by Hudson and Academy Award Winners Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench, Sophia Loren and Academy Award winner (BEst Supporting Actor) Penélope Cruz. It is based on Fratti's adaptation of Federico Fellini's autobiographical film '8½'.

The 'Volver' star plays the seductive mistress of film director Guido Contini, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, in the 60 million pound production. Cruz performs a very racy burlesque dance while dressed in a lacy basque, frilly briefs, hold-up stockings and high heels.

According to reports, Cruz has revealed she was so paranoid about protecting her voice before her musical debut in 'Nine' that she became a recluse. The actress felt the pressure of recording her vocals at London's Abbey Road Studios and decided to lock herself away in her hotel room and speak to no one as she prepared to hit the high notes, reports buzzhollywood.com. (Text: IANS)

"I thought it would be more responsible and professional if I didn't talk to anybody before I had to record. So I was laying on my bed like Dracula, looking at the ceiling and waiting to go to the studio," Cruz said. (Text: IANS)

"I got so tense from trying to protect myself too much... The second day I was much more relaxed," Cruz also added.

The 35-year-old beauty reportedly took dance classes for months ahead to prepare for her character's raunchy routine. "I couldn't stop crying," the actress told the Daily Mail about performing the routine, which left her battered and bruised.

Cruz joins a powerhouse cast that inlcudes Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Stacy Ferguson, Nicole Kidman and Kate Hudson.

Kate Hudson stars as Stephanie Necrophuros in the film. This is what Hudson had to say about her role: "I spent most of my childhood singing and dancing and just never had the chance to do it professionally. So when I got the chance to work with Rob, I was so excited, I was out of my mind."

Stacy Ferguson, better known as Fergie, plays the prostitute Saraghina in 'Nine'. The Black Eyed Peas singer lends her musical expertise to the film. Although she has hots like 'Boom Boom Pow' and 'Where Is The Love?' under her belt, this will be Fergie's first appearance on the big screen.

In the film, Contini tries to balance his professional life as a filmmaker with his women, including his wife, played by Cotillard, his mistress, played by Cruz, his muse, played by Kidman, and his costume designer, played by Judi Dench.

Australian actress Nicole Kidman admitted in an interview to 'Vogue', that it would have taken something special to lure her back to Hollywood after the birth of her daughter Sunday, and 'Nine' happened to be just that. "I had no desire to work after I had my daughter, but to lure me back, this movie was the only way," she was quoted as saying.

Recently Italian actress Sophia Loren revealed she was uncomfortable working with British actor Daniel Day-Lewis in 'Nine'. "Daniel is incredible. He is hypnotic, magical, beautiful and brilliant; but he is also very scary. Every time I did a scene with him he was so deep and so real that it was almost intimidating", the Daily Express quoted her as saying.

According to some media reports, Kate Hudson's role in 'Nine' was written especially for her. Her character in the film - a Vogue magazine writer called Stephanie - was not part of the original Broadway show. "Her revelatory skills as a singer and a dancer lead to the creation of the role," director Rob Marshall was quoted as saying.

'Nine' is scheduled to be released in the US on December 18, 2009 in New York and Los Angeles and open for wide release on December 25, 2009.