Solo on the red carpet: Penelope Cruz strikes a pose at the Oscars on Sunday while boyfriend Javier Bardem arrived separately with his mother Pilar.

The couple co-starred in four movies together in the 1990s, and are set to film their sixth together later this year.

The pair will film Nine, a Rob Marshall (Chicago) musical inspired by Federico Fellini's classic film 8 1/2, this summer.

And it appears the stunning actress also has a long acquaintance with Javier's mother Pilar - they co-starred in 1997 movie Carne Treula (Live Flesh) and 1995's Entre Rojas (Among Red).

Prior to finding love with Javier, Cruz dated her Sahara co-star Matthew McConaughey for two years until they split in 2006 and was Tom Cruise's first girlfriend after his high-profile divorce from Nicole Kidman.

Meanwhile, Javier previously lived with translator Christina Pales for over 10 years.

(China Daily/Agencies February 27, 2008)