Penelope Cruz didn't realize her new movie was a comedy until filming had finished.

The 34-year-old actress - who has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of gun-wielding maniac Maria Elena in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" - couldn't understand why people were laughing during screenings of Woody Allen's latest project.

She said: "When we were in the middle of shooting, I felt like I was doing the most intense and disturbing drama I ever did in my career.

"I never laughed until months later, when I saw the movie with an audience. At the beginning, I remember feeling like, 'Why are they laughing?'"

The Spanish actress - who was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for morbid drama 'Volver' - recently finished filming musical movie "Nine".

Penelope plays Carla, a beautiful seductress who at one point performs a sexy song while swinging on ropes.

It was a role that left the actress blistered and bruised, but she loved every minute of it and was in tears on her last day of shooting.

She said: "You carry on and forget the pain, and at the end of the day you see all the blisters and bruises.

"I couldn't stop crying, because I had been doing dance classes and rehearsals for so many months. It's in the film and it will be there for ever, but I don't get to do it again. I was addicted to it!"

"Nine" - which also stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Fergie, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren - is due for release in November.

(China Daily/Agencies January 25, 2009)