Cruz flies in to visit Cruise
From correspondents in New Zealand
08feb03

SPANISH film star Penelope Cruz flew to New Zealand yesterday for time out with Tom Cruise, local media reported.

The 28-year-old Cruz, who began dating Cruise after he divorced Australian actress Nicole Kidman in 2001, arrived on Cruise’s private jet at the airport in the city of New Plymouth, 320km northeast of the capital, Wellington.

After customs checks inside the plane, the star of Vanilla Sky, wearing tight dark blue jeans, black boots, a black singlet and sunglasses, strolled to Cruise’s waiting helicopter shielded by personal security staff.

Cruz flew to Cruise’s rented Oakura mansion a few kilometres away to join his children, Isabella and Conor, and his mother, who is also currently visiting the 40-year-old as he works on the set of the movie The Last Samurai.

Cruise is spending four months filming what he describes as his biggest movie role, that of a retired US army captain hired by the mid-18th Century Meiji Emperor of Japan to modernise the Japanese army.

Some 80 per cent of the outdoor shooting for the $US100 million ($A169.43 million) movie is to be done at 10 locations round the Taranaki region of New Zealand’s North Island.

Up to 500 Japanese extras are being flown in for major battle scenes in The Last Samurai.

Thanks Chantal!