Penélope Cruz Considers Driver's License at 52 After Bono's Gift

Penélope Cruz, the 52-year-old actress, is contemplating learning to drive, a decision spurred by a significant birthday gift from U2 frontman Bono: a car.

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I think this is the ultimate push to finally do it and learn to drive.

Cruz has openly shared her "great fear" of getting behind the wheel, a phobia that extends beyond simply being a passenger. She admits to experiencing anxiety even on short 15-minute drives with a professional chauffeur. This fear, she believes, has a name, suggesting it's a recognized condition due to the number of people who experience it.

The actress's deep-seated fear is rooted in a traumatic childhood event. "My sister was run over by a car in front of my eyes when I was eight or nine years old," Cruz revealed in a past interview. "It was a big trauma because I saw her lose consciousness." Fortunately, her sister, Mónica Cruz, survived the incident and made a full recovery.

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Every time I get in the car, I think: 'Okay, here we go. Will we make it or not?'

Despite her anxieties, Bono's generous gift has provided the ultimate motivation. "I think this is the ultimate push to finally do it and learn to drive," Cruz stated. The actress acknowledged that she hadn't intended to share this personal detail, but the circumstances, particularly receiving a car from Bono, made it impossible not to consider learning to drive.

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My sister was run over by a car in front of my eyes when I was eight or nine years old. It was a big trauma because I saw her lose consciousness.