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Antonio BanderasActor
Date of Birth: 10.08.1960
Country:  Spain |
Content:
- Childhood and Football Dream
- Injury and Transition to Acting
- Early Career and Breakthrough with Almodóvar
- Charismatic Lover and Hollywood Debut
- "Philadelphia" and "Interview with the Vampire"
- Turning Point with "Desperado"
- "Puss in Boots" and Serious Roles
- Directing and Collaboration with Selected
- Personal Life
- Health, Instagram, and Future Projects
Childhood and Football Dream
Antonio Banderas was born on August 10, 1960, in Malaga, Spain. His father was a Civil Guard officer, and his mother was a school teacher. Apart from Antonio, his parents raised their younger daughter, Chloe. As a child, Antonio had no interest in acting. He was a passionate soccer player and aspired to become a professional footballer.
Injury and Transition to Acting
However, an injury that Antonio suffered at the age of 14 put an end to his football dreams. Around the same time, he saw a production of the musical "Hair" and instantly fell in love with the theater. He got a job as an usher at the Malaga theater and soon enrolled in acting school.
Early Career and Breakthrough with Almodóvar
At the age of 20, Banderas graduated from the National School of Dramatic Art. In search of work, he moved to Madrid, but all the aspiring actor managed to land were free experimental productions. Eventually, Antonio was accepted into the company of the National Theater. However, he did not gain much fame on the theatrical scene.
Banderas's life took a significant turn in 1981 when he met budding director Pedro Almodóvar. The eccentric Spaniard, who would soon gain recognition as one of the finest filmmakers in Europe, offered him a role in his new film "Labrynth of Passions" (1982). The fee was meager - just 100,000 pesetas - but Antonio considered it a gift and agreed.
"Labrynth of Passions" did not make Banderas a star, but it marked the beginning of a fruitful collaboration between two talents. And although the actor started appearing in various films of different scales, it was Almodóvar's pictures that fueled his professional growth. Their next joint work, "Matador" (1986), showcased Banderas's immense acting potential.
Charismatic Lover and Hollywood Debut
Yet, it was not only talent that played a role in Banderas's success. Antonio was a hit with women, which directors skillfully exploited by portraying him as a passionate and virile lover. This applied not only to Almodóvar's films "Law of Desire" (1987), "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" (1988), and "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" (1990), but also to pictures by other filmmakers. Gradually, Banderas became increasingly renowned in Spain.
His striking appearance, masculine gaze, and extraordinary talent allowed Antonio Banderas to conquer not only Spain but also Hollywood. He first appeared on American screens in the 1991 film "Madonna: Truth or Dare". This was followed by cameos in "The Mambo Kings" (1992) and "The House of the Spirits" (1993). However, Hollywood was not immediately welcoming to Banderas. In a city where every second person was an actor, the charming Spaniard had to prove himself.
"Philadelphia" and "Interview with the Vampire"
In 1993, Antonio landed a small but significant role in the acclaimed drama "Philadelphia", which opened up new possibilities for him. The film, tackling the topics of AIDS and homosexuality, resonated strongly with the audience, and Banderas caught the attention of leading producers. His next work - the role of Armand in "Interview with the Vampire" (1994) - repeated this success.
Turning Point with "Desperado"
Antonio Banderas achieved international recognition thanks to the films of director Robert Rodriguez. The work of this Texas-born filmmaker, who was drawn to "Mexican themes", perfectly suited the actor's appearance and character. In their first joint project, the movie "Desperado" (1995), Banderas played the lead role of the vengeful musician El Mariachi. This performance brought him genuine fame in America and not only to Antonio Banderas but also to Rodriguez, who finally proved his skill and could now count on major projects from film studios.
And as soon as such a project came his way in 2000, he immediately invited his friend Antonio for the lead role. This was the adventure film "Spy Kids" (2001), which had great success with audiences and earned a decent box office. It was followed by a sequel, "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams" (2002), and soon after, another part, "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" (2003). In the same year 2003, the sequel to "Desperado" was released - the action-adventure film "Once Upon a Time in Mexico". In addition to Banderas, the project involved stars such as Salma Hayek, Willem Dafoe, Eva Mendes, Johnny Depp, and Mickey Rourke, which contributed to its immense popularity.
"Puss in Boots" and Serious Roles
After several years of intense work, Antonio Banderas slowed down a bit, but he did not leave cinema. He took up voice acting in animated films, achieving great success in this area. For example, his Puss in Boots in the Shrek films gained immense popularity. Besides this, the actor continued to appear in live-action films, but there were almost no memorable roles during this period.
Banderas made a loud return in 2011, appearing in his old friend Almodóvar's film "The Skin I Live In". The picture was part of the competition program at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving rave reviews and numerous film awards. Despite not winning an award himself, the role became one of the best in his career. Moreover, critics noted that Antonio had moved to a new, more serious creative level.
Among Banderas's notable works are his roles in Rodriguez's "Machete Kills" (2013) and Almodóvar's "I'm So Excited" (2013). In 2014, the actor appeared in the action movie "The Expendables 3".
Directing and Collaboration with Selected
In addition to acting, Antonio Banderas has engaged in directing. In one of his projects, the film "Crazy in Alabama" (1999), his wife Melanie Griffith played the lead role. In 2016, Antonio visited the Russian capital to participate in Natalia Vodianova's charity project and to present his own photo exhibition to the public. During his short visit, the actor managed to appear on the show "Evening Urgant", where he talked about his passion for fashion and enrolling in the renowned British college Central Saint Martins in 2015. According to the actor, becoming a designer was an old dream of his, although he did not plan to give up his acting career.
In the spring of 2016, a collaboration between the actor and the brand Selected was announced. Banderas designed the men's clothing collection for the 2016/2017 season, which was complemented by his signature men's perfume. In addition, during his visit to Moscow, the Spaniard arranged a 4-hour photo shoot for Maxim magazine. His model was singer Anna Sedokova, who was ecstatic to work with and receive a kiss from the iconic actor.
Personal Life
Antonio's first wife was Spanish actress Ana Leza, whom Banderas met while working in the theater. The couple acted together in "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" and "Philadelphia". In 1995, the pair divorced. They had no children. Antonio prefers not to name the reasons that prompted him to take such a step.
At this time, a fateful meeting occurred in his personal life. Soon, Banderas married Hollywood star Melanie Griffith, whom he met while filming "Two Much". A year later, the couple welcomed a daughter, Stella del Carmen Banderas Griffith. In May 2014, after almost 20 years of marriage, the couple filed for divorce. The divorce was scandalous, but Antonio did not remain alone for long. His chosen one was Dutch financier Nicole Kimpel.
Banderas was seen in the company of the woman even before the official divorce, which led to speculations that it was she who became the cause of the breakup of the Hollywood star couple. The new muse brought stability and order into Antonio's life, something he had lacked in the company of the erratic and unpredictable Melanie. However, mutual friends claim that Nicole is not devoid of a sense of irony, which adds lightness and novelty to her relationship with the chosen one.
Health, Instagram, and Future Projects
In early 2017, the 56-year-old actor was hospitalized with heart pain. According to world media reports, the heart attack occurred during a workout. After a thorough examination, doctors sent the man home. According to the celebrity, his health may have been affected by the filming of the movie "33". The film's plot is based on the real events when Chilean miners were trapped in an avalanche for several months. Banderas said that the shooting took place in a real mine in conditions that were not conducive to the actors' health.
Antonio maintains a personal profile on Instagram, where he shares with his followers memorable pictures, rare family and work photos, posts announcements of movie works, and video clips with perfume commercials. Currently, he is full of new ideas and plans to return to directing. He is set to direct the drama "Akil" and the science fiction thriller "Sol", in which Antonio plans
