Penelope Cruz Demonstrates How to Ask for Half a Million Dollars in Ferrari
Penelope Cruz would like her soup with a side of 500 grand, please.
In an exclusive clip from Michael Mann’s Ferrari, Cruz’s Laura Ferrari spars with her husband Enzo (Adam Driver) at the dinner table over half a million dollars. Laura isn’t being a greedy spouse, but rather a discerning businesswoman; as the co-owner of the famous Italian carmaker, she’ll decide how to handle her stock in the company, especially as Enzo approaches a deal with their American competitor, Ford. The problem is that Enzo wants her to give him her shares so he can swiftly deal with Ford solo. But she won’t be pushed out so easily.
“What do you want me to say? ‘Mr. Ford, we have a deal, but first I must wait until I ask my wife for permission?’” Enzo scoffs.
“Yes, you can say that,” Laura responds. She would prefer that Enzo make the deal first, so he can acquire the money for her payout.
“I will give you power of attorney over my stock…for half a million dollars,” she continues.
“I don’t have half a million!” he shouts back.
“You will if you make a deal.”
This is just a mere taste of Cruz’s electrifying performance in Ferrari, in which she is a repetitive scene-stealer. She carries Laura through discovering her husband’s infidelity, shouldering his troubles at work, and, worst of all, grieving the recent death of their only son. Of course the actor fit for this kind of melodrama is Cruz, who can deliver pure rage or agony with just a look. There’s a ferocity in Laura, even in her quietest moments, that stands out against Enzo’s weary and often detached nature. It should come as no surprise that Cruz is already garnering Oscar buzz for her role.
Watch her performance in full when Ferrari opens in theaters on Christmas.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.