Antonio Banderas

In thisSpanish name,the first or paternalsurnameisDomínguezand the second or maternal family name isBandera.

Antonio Banderas
Banderas in 2024
Born	José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (1960-08-10)10 August 1960 Málaga,Spain
Occupations	Actor filmmaker
Years active	1982–present
Works	Full list
Spouses	Ana Leza ​ ​ (m.1987;div.1996)​ Melanie Griffith ​ ​ (m.1996;div.2015)​
Partner	Nicole Kimpel (2015–present)
Children	1
Awards	Full list

José Antonio Domínguez Bandera(born 10 August 1960), better known asAntonio Banderas(IPA:[anˈtonjoβanˈdeɾas]), is a Spanish actor. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has receivednumerous accolades,including aCannes Film Festival Awardand aGoya Award,as well as nominations for anAcademy Award,twoPrimetime Emmy Awards,fiveGolden Globe Awards,and aTony Award.

Banderas made his acting debut at a small theater in Málaga, where he caught the attention of directorPedro Almodóvar,who gave the actor his film debut in thescrewball comedyLabyrinth of Passion(1982). They have since collaborated on many films, includingMatador(1986),Law of Desire(1987),Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown(1988),Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!(1989),The Skin I Live In(2011), andPain and Glory(2019), the latter of which earned him theCannes Film Festival Award for Best Actoras well as a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Actor.

In 1992, Banderas made his American film debut with the musical dramaThe Mambo Kings(1992), followed by roles inPhiladelphia(1993),Interview with the Vampire(1994),Assassins(1995), andEvita(1996). He portrayedZorroinThe Mask of Zorro(1998) andThe Legend of Zorro(2005). He made hisdirectorial debutwith the comedy filmCrazy in Alabama(1999). He is a frequent collaborator with directorRobert Rodriguez,having starred as El Mariachi in theMexico TrilogyfilmsDesperado(1995) andOnce Upon a Time in Mexico(2003). He has starred in franchise films, including as the patriarch in theSpy Kidsseries(2001–2003) and as the voice ofPuss in Bootsin theShrekfilms(2004–present). He also played Galgo in The Expendables 3 (2014).

On stage, Banderas made hisBroadwaydebut as Guido Contini inNine(2003), for which he was nominated for aTony Award for Best Actor in a Musicaland won aDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.He receivedPrimetime Emmy Awardnominations for his roles asPancho Villain theHBOtelevision filmAnd Starring Pancho Villa as Himself(2004) andPablo Picassoin the anthology seriesGenius: Picasso(2018).

Early life

José Antonio Domínguez Banderawas born on August 10, 1960, inMálagatoCivil Guardgendarme officer José Domínguez Prieto (1920–2008) and schoolteacher Ana Bandera Gallego (1933–2017).He has a younger brother named Francisco.As a little boy, Banderas wanted to become a professionalfootballplayer until a broken foot sidelined his dreams at the age of 15. He showed a strong interest in the performing arts and formed part of the ARA Theatre School run by Ángeles Rubio-Argüelles y Alessandri (wife of diplomat and filmmakerEdgar Neville) and the College of Dramatic Art, both in Málaga. His work in the theater and his performances on the streets eventually landed him a spot with the Spanish National Theatre.

Career

1982–1989: Early collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar

Banderas acted in numerous films withPedro Almodóvar

Banderas began his acting studies at the School of Dramatic Art inMálagaand made his acting debut at a small theater in Málaga. He began working in small shops during Spain's post-dictatorial cultural movement known asLa Movida Madrileña.

While performing with the theater, Banderas caught the attention of Spanish directorPedro Almodóvar,who gave the young actor his film debut in thescrewballsex comedyLabyrinth of Passion(1982). Five years later, he went on to appear in the director's comedic thrillerLaw of Desire(1987), making headlines with his performance as a gay man, which required him to engage in his first male-to-male onscreen kiss. Banderas appeared in Almodóvar'ssurrealistsex comedyMatador,withVincent CanbyofThe New York Timeswriting, "The movie looks terrific and is acted with absolute, straight-faced conviction by the excellent cast headed by Miss Serna, Mr. Martinez and Mr. Banderas."

The director cast him in his internationally acclaimed 1988 film,Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.Rita Kemply ofThe Washington Postdescribed Banderas' performance as "warm" and described the film as a "glossy delight."The recognition Banderas gained for his role increased years later, when he starred in Almodóvar's controversialTie Me Up! Tie Me Down!(1989) as amental patientwho kidnaps a porn star (Victoria Abril) and keeps her tied up until she returns his love.The breakthrough role helped spur him on to Hollywood.Almodóvar is credited with helping launch Banderas's international career, as he became a regular feature in his films throughout the 1980s.

1990–1999: Hollywood stardom

In 1991,Madonnaintroduced Banderas to Hollywood. (He was an object of her desires in her pseudodocumentary film of one of her concert tours,Madonna: Truth or Dare.)The following year, still speaking minimal English, he began acting in U.S. films.Despite having to learn all his lines phonetically,Banderas still managed to turn in acritically praisedperformance as a struggling musician in his first American drama film,The Mambo Kings(1992).

Banderas then broke through to mainstream American audiences in the 1993Jonathan DemmefilmPhiladelphiaas the life partner of lawyerTom HanksandDenzel Washington.Also in 1993, he acted in theBille August-directedThe House of the Spirits,an adaptation of theIsabel Allendenovel of the same name.Banderas acted alongsideMeryl Streep,Jeremy Irons,Glenn Close,andWinona Ryder. The film's success earned Banderas wide recognition, and the following year, he was given a role inNeil Jordan's high-profileadaptationofAnne Rice'sInterview with the Vampire(1994), sharing the screen withBrad Pitt,Tom Cruise,andKirsten Dunst.He starred in several major Hollywood films, including theRobert Rodriguez-directedneo-Westernaction filmDesperado(1995), alongsideSalma Hayek,Steve Buscemi,andQuentin Tarantino.The film was a financial success.Owen Gleiberman ofEntertainment Weeklywrote, "The movie’s greatest visual coup... is Banderas himself. The camera loves this velvet stud as much as it did the youngClint Eastwood."

That same year, Banderas portrayed the antagonist in theRichard Donner-directed action filmAssassins,co-starring oppositeSylvester StalloneandJulianne Moore.In 1996, he starred alongsideMadonnain the musical filmEvita,an adaptation of the stage musical byAndrew Lloyd WebberandTim Ricein which he played the narrator, Che, a role played byDavid Essexin the original 1978 West End production.Janet MaslinofThe New York Timeswrote that "Banderas... does an unexpectedly splendid job as the film's conspiratorial singing narrator. "For his performance, he was nominated for theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.He also had success with his role as the masked swordsmanZorroin the 1998 filmThe Mask of Zorro,starringAnthony HopkinsandCatherine Zeta-Jones.Roger Ebertpraised the onscreen chemistry between the two leads, writing, "The best scenes in the movie are between Banderas and Zeta-Jones, who share chemistry and, it turns out, a sense of justice."His performance earned him anotherGolden Globe Awardnomination.In 1999, he starred in the historical action filmThe 13th Warrior,a movie about aMuslimcaught up in a war between theNorthmanand human-eating beasts.

2000–2009: Broadway debut and franchise films

Salma Hayekand Banderas at the premiere ofPuss in Boots(2011)

In 2001, Banderas collaborated withRobert Rodriguez,who cast him in the first three movies of theSpy Kidsfranchise (2001–2003). He portrayed Gregorio Cortez, a retired OSS agent, alongsideCarla Gugino,who played his wife, Ingrid Cortez.Roger Ebertpraised the first film, describing it as "giddy with the joy of its invention. It's an exuberant, colorful extravaganza, wall-to-wall with wildly original sets and visual gimmicks, and smart enough to escape the kids film category and play in the mainstream."He also starred inMichael Cristofer'sOriginal SinalongsideAngelina Joliethe same year.

In 2002, he portrayedsocial realistpainterDavid Alfaro SiqueirosinJulie Taymor's biographical dramaFrida,withSalma HayekplayingFrida Kahlo.That same year, he starred inBrian De Palma'serotic thrillerFemme FataleoppositeRebecca Romijn,and in 2003, he starred in the last installment of the trilogyOnce Upon a Time in Mexico(in which he appeared withJohnny Deppand Hayek). Banderas' debut as a director was the poorly receivedCrazy in Alabama(1999), starring his then wifeMelanie Griffith.He starred in theChristopher Hampton-directed historical dramaImagining Argentina(2003) alongsideEmma Thompson.

Banderas made hisBroadwaydebut playing Guido Contini in the 2003 revival ofMaury Yeston's musicalNine,based on the film8½,playing the prime role originated byRaul Julia.Ben Brantley,the chief theater critic ofThe New York Times,wrote that Banderas was "a bona fide matinee idol for the 21st century -- a pocket Adonis who suggests a more sensitive, less menacing variation on the Latin lovers of yore," adding that "he has an appealingly easy stage presence and an agreeable singing voice that shifts, a bit abruptly, between pop whisperiness and Broadway belting."He won both theOuter Critics Circle Awardand theDrama Desk Awardfor Best Actor in a Musical and was nominated for theTony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.His performance is preserved on the Broadway cast recording released byPS Classics.Later that year, he received theRita MorenoHOLA Award for Excellence from theHispanic Organization of Latin Actors.

Also in 2003, he starred as Mexican revolutionaryPancho Villain theHBOtelevision filmAnd Starring Pancho Villa as Himself.Banderas acted alongsideAlan Arkin,Jim Broadbent,andMichael McKean.The film was directed byBruce Beresfordand written byLarry Gelbart.Phil Gallo ofVarietywrote, "Villa was larger than life, and Banderas vibrantly captures his bravado. Everything in the telepic, though, is designed to make Villa a likable force, which pushes and pulls Banderas in a number of directions, only some of which play well. Eventually, 'Villa' exposes a dark side in the man, and Banderas forsakes crafting the image of a hero to allow the man’s ambiguity to shine."Banderas was nominated for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movieand theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Filmfor his performance.

The following year, Banderas portrayedPuss in Bootsin theDreamWorks animatedfilmShrek 2(2004). Todd McCarthy ofVarietypraised his performance, writing that he is "deliciously sending up hisZorropersona. "The film was an immense box office and critical hit.It went on to receive a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Animated Feature.Banderas reprised his role inShrek the Third(2007) and the last film in theShrekfranchise,Shrek Forever After(2010), which helped make the character popular on the family film circuit. In 2005, he reprised his role asZorroinThe Legend of Zorro.In 2006, he starred inTake the Lead,a high-set movie in which he played aballroom dancingteacher. That year, he directed his second film,El camino de los ingleses,based on the novel byAntonio Soler,and also received the L.A. Latino International Film Festival's "Gabi" Lifetime Achievement Award on October 14.Banderas received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005, the 2,294th person to do so;his star is located on the north side of the 6800 block of Hollywood Boulevard.

2010–present: Reunion with Almodóvar

Penélope Cruz,Pedro Almodóvarand Banderas promotingPain and Glory(2019)

Banderas acted in theWoody Allen-directed comedy-dramaYou Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger(2010), starringAnthony Hopkins,Josh Brolin,andNaomi Watts.The film premiered at theCannes Film Festivaland received mixed reviews.The following year, he starred in the horror thrillerThe Skin I Live In(2011), which marked the return of Banderas toPedro Almodóvar,the Spanish director who launched his international career. The two had not worked together since 1990 (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!). InThe Skin I Live In,he breaks out of the "Latin Lover"mold from his Hollywood work and stars as a calculating revenge-seeking plastic surgeon following the rape of his daughter. According to theAssociated Press,Banderas' performance is among his strongest in recent memory.That same year, he reprised his voice role as Puss in Boots, this time as theprotagonistof theShrekspin-off prequel,Puss in Boots.This film reunited Banderas withSalma Hayekfor the sixth time.The film received critical acclaim and was a box-office hit.

Banderas took a small role in Almodóvar's comedyI'm So Excited!(2013) and also acted inSteven Soderbergh's action thrillerHaywire(2011),Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' romance fantasyRuby Sparks(2012), andTerrence Malick's experimental dramaKnight of Cups(2015).Banderas starred inThe SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Wateras Burger Beard, the film's main antagonist. In 2018, Banderas starred in theNational Geographiclimited seriesGenius: Picassoas the noted sculptor and painterPablo Picasso.For his performance, he received aPrimetime Emmy Award,aScreen Actors Guild Award,and aGolden Globe Awardnomination. He also acted inLife Itself(2018), which premiered at theToronto International Film Festival.

Banderas won theGoya Award for Best Actorfor his role inPain and Glory(2019)

In 2019, Banderas starred in the Spanish filmPain and Glory(Dolor y gloria), directed byPedro Almodóvar.The film centers around an aging film director played by Banderas who has a chronic illness and writer's block as he reflects on his life in flashbacks to his childhood. On May 25, 2019, Banderas won theCannes Film Festival Award for Best Actorfor his role in the film.Manohla Dargis ofThe New York Timespraised his performance, writing that "Banderas’s melancholic presence and subtle, intricate performance add depth and intensities of feeling... because he draws so flawlessly from Almodóvar. "He was later nominated for his first everAcademy AwardforBest Actor in a Leading RoleforPain and Gloryand lost toJoaquin Phoenixfor his role inJoker(2019).

That same year, Banderas starred inSteven Soderbergh'sNetflixfilmThe LaundromatalongsideMeryl StreepandGary Oldman.During this time, he starred in Spanish-language adaptations of the musicalsA Chorus Line(2019) andCompany(2021) at the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank inSpain.In 2020, he co-starred withRobert Downey Jr.in the fantasy adventure filmDolittle.The following year, he starred in theblack comedyOfficial CompetitionalongsidePenélope Cruz,which had its world premiere at the78th Venice International Film Festival.The film is a meta-comedy and satire on the film industry.A.O. ScottofThe New York Timeswrote, "Banderas... can be marvelously subtle and affecting as well as magnetic. It’s almost indecent for someone so beautiful to possess such skill, and you might have to go back to the old days—toGary Cooper—to find a matinee idol with equivalent gifts. "

In 2022, Banderas appeared as Santiago Moncada, the antagonist of the filmUnchartedwithTom HollandandMark Wahlberg.He also returned to work forDreamWorks Animation,reprising his voice as Puss in Boots in the sequelPuss in Boots: The Last Wishwith Hayek again and a new cast withFlorence Pugh,Olivia Colman,Ray Winstone,andWagner Moura.In 2023, he appeared inIndiana Jones and the Dial of DestinywithHarrison Ford,Mads Mikkelsen,Phoebe Waller-Bridge,Toby Jones,andJohn Rhys-Davies.He also portrayedHerodin the Christmas musical filmJourney to Bethlehem.

In June 2023, it was announced that Banderas was set inPaddington in Peru.He is reportedly playing Hunter Cabot, a dashing and intrepid riverboat captain who offers to help the Brown family on their Peruvian adventure. His daughter will be played by Carla Tous.Other co-stars includeHugh Bonneville,Emily Mortimer,Olivia Colman,andJim Broadbent.He is set to star oppositeNicole Kidmanin theA24erotic thrillerBabygirl,directed byHalina Reijn.

New stage as theater producer

Antonio Banderas has always declared that what makes him happiest is theater. On November 15, 2019, his theater project, the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank,opened its doors in Malaga. It is a creation center dedicated to the production, exhibition and distribution of shows, and training in the different areas of the performing arts.

Since spring 2024 he also sponsors a new performing arts school in Malaga, the Sohrlin Andalucía School of Arts. It is located on an old metallurgical factory. Its objective is to become a large stage center in which to design, create and export Andalusian talent to the world.

Filmography

Main article:List of Antonio Banderas performances

• Laberinto de pasiones(1982)
• El caso Almería(1984)
• Matador(1986)
• Law of Desire(1987)
• Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown(1988)
• Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!(1989)
• A Woman in the Rain(1992)
• The Mambo Kings(1992)
• The House of the Spirits(1993)
• Philadelphia(1993)
• ¡Dispara!(1993)
• Interview with the Vampire(1994)
• Of Love and Shadows(1994)
• Assassins(1995)
• Desperado(1995)
• Four Rooms(1995)
• Evita(1996)
• The Mask of Zorro(1998)
• Play It to the Bone(1999)
• The 13th Warrior(1999)
• Spy Kids(2001)
• Original Sin(2001)
• The Body(2001)
• Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever(2002)
• Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams(2002)
• Femme Fatale(2002)
• Frida(2002)
• Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over(2003)
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico(2003)
• Shrek 2(2004)
• The Legend of Zorro(2005)
• Take the Lead(2006)
• Bordertown(2007)
• Shrek the Third(2007)
• Shrek Forever After(2010)
• You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger(2010)
• The Skin I Live In(2011)
• Puss in Boots(2011)
• Ruby Sparks(2012)
• The Expendables 3(2014)
• Autómata(2014)
• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water(2015)
• The 33(2015)
• Life Itself(2018)
• Pain and Glory(2019)
• The Laundromat(2019)
• Dolittle(2020)
• Official Competition(2021)
• Uncharted(2022)
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish(2022)
• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny(2023)
• Paddington in Peru(2024)
• Babygirl(2024)

Personal life

He is a longtime supporter ofMálaga CF.In May 2010, Banderas received an honorary doctorate from theUniversity of Málaga.He received an honorary degree fromDickinson Collegein 2000.

In August 2015, Banderas enrolled in a fashion-design course atCentral Saint Martins.As of 2016, Banderas resides in the United Kingdom inCobham, Surrey.

Religious beliefs

Banderas is an officer (mayordomo de trono) of a Roman Catholic religious brotherhood in his hometown ofMálagaand travels duringHoly Weekto take part inthe processions.although he once described himself as anagnosticin an interview withPeoplemagazine in 2006: "I have to recognize that I am agnostic. I don’t believe in any kind of fundamentalism. I prefer to take life in a different way, with a sense of humor. I try to teach my kids to be open. Whatever they believe is fine with me."

About his involvement with Holy Week, he revealed he had rekindled his relationship with Catholicism in 1994 after a period of spiritual search.

"There was a moment in my life in which I separated a bit from the Church. I was searching for a spiritual connection in other places, until in 1994, after my brother had a surgery we were very afraid of, in which we could lose him, I realized I should have not searched for so much, that I had had always that connection with the trascendental in front of my face. It also happened in a way which followed our own traditions, which we shouldn't look for inthe Buddha,as these characters were right there. In my own neighborhood was that way to connect myself to the trascendental through thePassion of the Christ,until concluding inResurrection."

In 2021, he described his religious beliefs and Holy Week toEl País:

"I live comfortably in the mystery, I'm very doubting, I don't know if agnostic is exactly the word. But I think yes, there is something, although we don't know what is it. The Big Bang, yes, and before the Big Bang, what? Holy Week has many colors, it's a very strange poliedrum. It is related to faith, popular religion and Andalusian idiosyncrasy. It's just the RomanIdes of March:winter dies and spring is born. The Andalusian version is so colourful and merry because everybody knows the guy will resurrect on Sunday. And there is a happy ending. "

Relationships

Banderas with then-wifeMelanie Griffithin 2010

Banderas married Ana Leza in 1987 and divorced her in 1996. He met and began a relationship with American actressMelanie Griffithin 1995 while shootingTwo Much.They married on May 14, 1996, in London. They have a daughter, Stella del Carmen Banderas (born September 24, 1996), who appeared onscreen with Griffith in Banderas' directorial debutCrazy in Alabama(1999). In 2002, the couple received the Stella Adler Angel Award for their extensive philanthropy. Griffith had a tattoo of Banderas' name on her right arm that has since been removed.

In June 2014, Banderas and Griffith released a statement announcing their intention to divorce "in a loving and friendly manner."According to the petition filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, the couple had "irreconcilable differences" that led to their separation.The divorce became official in December 2015.Despite being divorced, Banderas and Griffith remain close friends. His former stepdaughterDakota Johnsonhas stated she considers Banderas part of the family, calling him a "bonus dad."As of November 2015, Banderas is dating Nicole Kimpel, a Dutch investment banker.

Health

In 2009, Banderas underwent surgery for a benign tumor in his back.Speaking at theMálaga Film Festivalin March 2017, Banderas revealed he had suffered a heart attack on January 26, 2017, but said it "wasn't serious and hasn't caused any damages." Following that incident, he underwent heart surgery to insert three stents into his arteries.In aFresh Airinterview in September 2019, he recalled it as being life-changing. He said, "It just gave me a perspective of who I was, and it just made the important things [go to] the surface. When I say this, people may just think that I'm crazy, but it's one of the best things that ever happened in my life."

Business activities

Banderas (center right) with members ofThe 33and Chile government officials in 2015

He has invested some of his film earnings inAndalusianproducts, which he promotes in Spain and the US. He owns 50% of a winery inVillalba de Duero,Burgos, Spain, called Anta Banderas, which produces red and rosé wines.

He performed a voice-over for an animated bee, which can be seen in the United States in television commercials forNasonex,an allergy medication, and was seen in the 2007 Christmas advertising campaign forMarks & Spencer,a British retailer.

He is a veteran of the perfume industry. The actor has been working with fragrance and beauty multinational companyPuigfor over ten years, becoming one of the brand's most successful representatives. Banderas and Puig have successfully promoted a number of fragrances so far:Diavolo,Diavolo for Women,Mediterraneo,Spirit,andSpirit for Women.After the success ofAntonio for MenandBlue Seduction for Menin 2007, he launched his latest,Blue Seduction for Women,the following year.

Awards and honors

Main article:List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Banderas

Banderas has received many award nominations throughout his career, including anAcademy Awardnomination forPain and Glory.He also received fiveGolden Globe Awardnominations for his work ranging from films to television. He has also received twoPrimetime Emmy Awardnominations for his work, on the television projectsAnd Starring Pancho Villa as Himself(2004) andGenius: Picasso(2018). He also received aScreen Actors Guild Awardnomination for his performance asPablo PicassoinGenius: Picasso.In 2003, he received aTony Awardnomination forBest Actor in a Musicalfor his performance in theBroadwaymusical production ofNine.That year, however, he did win theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musicalfor his performance inNine.In 2019, he won theCannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor,theEuropean Film Award for Best Actor,theGoya Award for Best Actor,and theNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actorfor his performance in Almodovar'sPain and Glory.

See also

• List of actors with Hollywood Walk of Fame motion picture stars
• List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards

External links

• Antonio Banderas appointed Goodwill Ambassador at Bay Ledger
• Antonio BanderasatIMDb
• Antonio Banderasat theInternet Broadway Database
• Antonio Banderasat theTCM Movie Database
• Antonio BanderasatAllMovie
• Antonio BanderasatEmmys.com