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Antonio Banderas. Picture courtesy of Michael Schilling

Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Antonio Banderas

Jose Antonio Banderas known professionally as Antonio Banderas is a Spanish-born actor-director who was born on 10 August 1960 in Malaga, Spain.

Banderas, the son of a police officer and a teacher, was a soccer protege as a youth, but a serious foot injury at age 14 dashed his hopes of making the sport his profession. The following year he developed an interest in acting after seeing a stage performance of the rock musical Hair.

Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received various accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award and a European Film Award  in addition to nominations for an Academy Award,  a Tony Award two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Golden Gold Awards. He began as a footballer before shifting to acting.

Let us look at some of the remarkable facts about Antonio Banderas;

1. Banderas’ Romantic Face triggered his career in acting 

Pedro Almodóvar. Picture Courtesy of Ruben Ortega

Banderas only got into acting after a chance encounter with director Pedro Almodóvar, who ignited a passion in him with a passing comment. “You have a very romantic face,” he told Banderas as he walked by him in the street. “You should do movies.”

The enigmatic filmmaker ended up taking Banderas under his wing and would cast him in five of his films. in which he played everything from the gay son of a politician in 1987’s Law of Desire to a mental patient who kidnaps a porn star in the 1990s Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!

2. Banderas’ US theatre debut landed him a Tony and Drama Desk Award Nominations

In 2003, Banderas made his US theatre debut as Guido Contini Nine, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award and won a Drama Desk Award.

He received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his roles in the television film starring Panch Vila as himself (2004) and the second season of Genius (2018); his portrayal of Pablo Picasso in the latter garnered him critical praise.

For the 2019 film Pain and Glory, Banderas earned the Cannes Film Festival Award, European Film Award, and Goya Award for Best Actor, and received nominations for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.

3. Banderas was once arrested for performance in a play by Bertolt Brecht

He was arrested by the Spanish police for performance in a play by Bertolt Brecht because of political censorship under the rule of General Francisco Franco. 

Banderas spent a whole night at the police station, he had three or four such arrests while he was working with a small theatre troupe that toured all over Spain and was giving performances in small town theatres and on the street.

4. He is a veteran of the perfume industry

A beautiful perfume store. Picture by NAU JAG 202 HWOAM – Wikimedia

He is a veteran of the perfume industry. The actor has been working with fragrance and beauty multinational company Puig for 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, and Spirit for Women.

After the success of Antonio for Men and Blue Seduction for Men in 2007, he launched his latest Blue Seduction for Women the following year.

5. Banderas is a UN Goodwill Ambassador in fighting poverty

On top of his fragrance and fashion side gigs, he has to find time to fulfill his duties as a United Nations Development Program Goodwill Ambassador in the fight against poverty. He also has his own foundation Tears and Favors, which provides support to cancer patients. In other words, we don’t see him so much anymore because he’s super busy with his commitments away from Hollywood.

6. Antonio has not allowed divorce to put him down

Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. Picture David Shankbone

In 2014, Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas released a joint statement confirming that they were bringing their near-two decades of marriage to a close, and the couple divorced amicably soon after.

Although it was she who initiated proceedings citing “irreconcilable differences,” Griffith (who was in and out of rehab for prescription drug addictions over the course of the marriage) recently shouldered some of the blame for their separation. 

Banderas saw this as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf himself and has been busy spending quality time with family in an attempt to reinvent himself. “My life changed very much during the last two years, for personal reasons,” he admitted.

7. Failure of Film The 33 was a big blow to Banderas

The story of the 33 Chilean miners trapped half a mile underground for a staggering 69 days had a movie written all over it from the moment the last of the men was hoisted free.

Five years after the ordeal, Antonio Banderas led a cast in The 33, a film based on their harrowing experience that was supposed to bring this amazing rescue story to life and remind everyone (especially the Academy) that Banderas was still a genuine A-list talent.

The movie was strategically released in November to generate maximum Oscar buzz, but it failed to impress critics and proved not to be the comeback vehicle Banderas hoped for.

8. Banderas’s wife struggled with alcohol addiction for long

Melanie Griffith, Picture Courtesy of U-sien

Melanie Griffith has battled addiction for most of her life. She began drinking wine at 10 and slowly started relying on cocaine and alcohol to fill a void.

Her dependence intensified — she was secretly drinking and doing drugs on the job. The turning point came when she showed up at the Working Girl set too drunk to walk down some stairs.

Filming stopped and, the following day, assistant director Mike Haley demanded she pays $80,000 to cover lost production costs. In return, he wouldn’t report her to studio execs. Three weeks later, the actress checked into rehab. Griffith relapsed and returned to rehab in 2000.

9. Antonio Banderas said “I do” to Ana Leza after 6 months of dating

In 1987, Antonio Banderas said “I do” for the first time to fellow actress Ana Leza after just six months of dating.

According to Vanity Fair España, Leza, who hails from Madrid, devoted her time to being the actor’s private English teacher and soon became one of the biggest driving forces behind his budding career. She helped him translate the script for The Mambo Kings, to work it, and gave him a lot of confidence.

His tune changed when they divorced in 1995 and Leza walked away with their home in Madrid, 3.4 million euros, monthly alimony payments of 12,000 euros, and lifetime rights to 50% of all the films he made while they were married.

10. Banderas is worth nearly $50 million

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas is worth an impressive $45 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.

That solid chunk of change is likely due, in part, to his string of blockbuster successes.

Family films like 2001’s Spy Kids – in which Banderas played a secret agent dad — grossed more than $147 million worldwide and spawned two sequels, per Box Office Mojo. More of his earnings are from the businesses that he has ventured into.