Spanish beauty Penelope Cruz refuses to leave Europe to live in Los Angeles because she fears Hollywood could transform her personality. The actress spent a lot of time in the United States during her two-and-half-year romance with Tom Cruise but is now enjoying a trans-Atlantic relationship with her Sahara co-star Matthew McConaughey.

Despite starring in Hollywood movies Vanilla Sky and Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Cruz insists she remains a Hollywood "outsider" because she continues to work on European films.

She says, "I feel very grateful for the opportunities they are giving me there (Hollywood) also, but I always work there as a European actress that is also working in America, because that's the way to protect myself from the negative things from that industry. There are a lot of positive things (but) there are always things that are dangerous, maybe even more for a woman."

She added, "I always go away to shoot there or to spend time there, knowing when I am coming back (to Europe). And that's a way to protect myself and to really be where I am instead of being there pretending to be something else."

See some hot pics of Penelope Cruz HERE.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)