Penélope Cruz has always been famously private about her children, but her latest post offered fans a small but touching glimpse into her life as a mom. The Vicky Cristina Barcelona star shared a photo from a New York City hotel, thanking the property with a simple caption: “Thank you, Baccara Hotel. I love New York. Photo by Leo,” punctuated with hearts.
It was a rare acknowledgement of her 14-year-old son. While she didn’t show him, the detail revealed something about him: Leo is stepping into his own creative eye, capturing his mother in the way only a teenager beginning to experiment with photography might.
Cruz shares Leo and his younger sister, Luna, 12, with husband Javier Bardem. The family has a special bond with New York. Last year, Cruz celebrated her milestone 50th birthday there, throwing an intimate rooftop party with friends, including Ricky Martin, Rosalía, Irina Shayk, and Salma Hayek, before dancing the night away at a Bad Bunny concert with Bardem.
This time her trip was quieter, a mother-son visit to the city she loves. In recent years, both Leo and Luna have started appearing alongside their parents at carefully chosen events.
Cruz admitted she felt more nervous than usual when her kids joined her at the Spanish talk show El Hormiguero, though they stayed off camera. Leo also joined her at the Ferrari premiere in London, and the siblings were spotted at a Lenny Kravitz concert in Madrid.
The actress has spoken openly about protecting her children, especially when it comes to technology. She and Bardem agreed that neither Leo nor Luna would use social media or have a cell phone before the age of 16, a decision she says is about safeguarding their mental health and development. “I know we’re in the minority,” she has explained, “but it’s what feels right.”