(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Penlope Cruz enjoyed watching Black Swan because it reminded her of her experiences as a dancer.

The Spanish actress took up ballet when she was a child and fell in love with the graceful movements. Although she had to quit when she decided to pursue a career in acting, she showed off her skills for musical movie Nine. Penlope is a huge fan of dark thriller Black Swan, which saw Natalie Portman win an Oscar for her portrayal of a tortured ballet star, because it took her back to her dancing youth.

It touched me. I saw a lot of things in that movie that resonated with my own experiences, Penlope said about Black Swan in an interview with GQ. The discipline that ballet requires is obsessive. And only the ones who dedicate their whole lives are able to make it. Your toenails fall off and you peel them away and then youre asked to dance again and keep smiling. I wanted to become a professional ballet dancer. And then I had to choose.

Penlopes parents encouraged her to take dance classes because she had so much energy. They decided ballet would be a good outlet for Penlope as it is so physically demanding.

I started when I was four, I danced until I was 17-18, stopped and then picked it up again for a year or so later when I was in New York aged 20, she explained. My parents took me as I was something of a handful; not in a bad way, but I just needed focus. I loved it. It was creative and music for me has always been the most powerful form of art, much more than movies, much more than anything. As a kid I had a lot of energy; but the ballet lessons made me calm this pleased my mother! (C) Cover Media