Penélope Cruz wants to work with 'number one hero' Meryl Streep

Penélope Cruz has named Meryl Streep as the "number one" actor she would most like to work with.

The Spanish actress is so keen to work with the veteran actress that she has been "begging" her agents to set her up with a collaboration.

"I'm always begging my agents to take me to her set, just to bring her coffee or anything," she joked during an on-stage discussion as part of BAFTA's Life In Pictures series in London on Monday. "Every time I see her, I run to hug her. And she's so patient because every time I act like this is the first time I do it."

According to Deadline, she added, "She is my number one, number one hero and I would love to work with her."

The Vicky Cristina Barcelona actress was thrilled when Streep mentioned her by name in her acceptance speech when she was honoured with the Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts in Spain in October.

"The other day she received a very, very important award and then she named me in the speech and I could not believe it. And I watched it twenty times to make sure. It was like she knows that I exist, you know?" she shared.

During her speech, The Iron Lady star read out a quote from Cruz, telling the audience, "Another great Spanish artist, Penélope Cruz said, 'You cannot live your life looking at yourself from someone else's point of view.'"