Spanish beauty Penelope Cruz will play Johnny Depp's lover in the fourth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Contactmusic reported. The two were last seen together as husband and wife in the 2000 film, Blow.

The 35-year-old actress has signed up to play the daughter of British actor Ian McShane who will portray Depp's new nemesis, the notorious pirate Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, according to producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

"She's the daughter of the bad guy... very feisty. There's a little romance between Captain Jack and the character that Penelope plays," said the movie mogul.

Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley who were part of the previous three films in the hit franchise are not returning for the fourth movie as they feel their characters' storylines are at an end.