Washington, Nov 23: It’s not often that director Woody Allen has trouble getting his words out, but that’s exactly what happened when he had to direct Penelope Cruz in a new movie.

And, the news comes straight from actress Scarlett Johansson, who also stars in the pic.

Johansson revealed that Allen wrote a part for the Spanish beauty after he saw her in her Oscar-nominated role in ‘Volver’.

However, he was so infatuated by her that he was reduced to a stuttering mess in her presence.

"Of course Woody was so unbelievably enamoured of her. He'd be like 'Uh-uh-uh P-Penelope, P-Penelope,'" Contactmusic quoted Johansson, as saying.

"You'd think, 'You are such a stuttering fool, man. Just get your stuff together.' But what can you do - he's an appreciator of fine things, and Penelope is quite fine," she added. (ANI)