Celebrity Biographies
Antonio Banderas
He left Malaga, but not to go to ‘malagón’, but to the Mecca of cinema to become a standard-bearer for Spanish cinema. He had to make his way as he walked, since there was no road that would take his compatriot actors to Hollywood, who even dared to dream of obtaining a supporting role in an American production, a feat only achieved until then by Sara Montiel and Fernando Rey. But this universal man from Malaga knew how to manage his career with the wisdom of a fox, since Antonio Banderas has been at the top for a decade and a half, he settled long before ‘Pe’, he always leaves the feeling that he can give more of himself, and He has amply demonstrated that he is a director to be reckoned with, and all this without losing the spontaneity and jovial character that comes from his Andalusian blood.
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas was born on August 10, 1960, in Benalmádena (Málaga). The son of a police commissioner and a teacher, in his childhood he wanted to become a footballer. He abandoned this early vocation after suffering an injury, apparently he suffered a broken foot. But there is no harm that does not come for good, because thanks to this incident, he discovered his potential for acting, by joining an amateur theater group. At the age of 13 he was already participating in the production of a musical.
Determined to try his luck in the world of the scene, at the age of 19 he moved to Madrid, where he actually got a job in a theater, specifically in the Lavapiés room, as a lighting technician. It didn’t go badly for the man from Málaga in the capital, as little by little he opened a gap, and although at first they counted on him for minor jobs, he was immediately giving the scene something to talk about, after participating in the production of Edward II of England , under the orders of Lluis Pasqual. He made his film debut under the orders of Enrique Belloch in Pestañas postizas , an unknown feature film shot in 1982, the same year in which the actor got his great opportunity, from the hand of Pedro Almodóvar, who had discovered him on the tables. Recently become a leader of the Movida Madrileña, the Manchego filmmaker offered him to play a Libyan terrorist inLabyrinth of passions . That was undoubtedly the beginning of a great friendship, because at the same time that the filmmaker made Carmen Maura his female muse par excellence , he opted for his “muse” Banderas for her best male roles. InMatador played Ángel, a frustrated student at a bullfighting school who tried to rape his teacher’s girlfriend. Next, he played a pathologically jealous homosexual in Laberinto de pasiones and shortly after he became Carlos, the son of the lover that Carmen Maura was desperately looking for inWomen on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown , which established the director and actor internationally, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. His latest collaboration so far has beentie me up , homage toThe William Wyler Collector ,with great work by Banderas, as Ricky, fresh out of a mental hospital, who kidnapped an attractive woman to hold her until she fell in love with him.
These works elevated him as one of the most sought-after Spanish actors, by filmmakers as different as Francisco Betriú (Requiem for a Spanish peasant ), Pedro Costa ( The Almería case ), Montxo Armendáriz (27 hours ), José Luis García Sánchez (Pharaoh’s Court ), Fernando Colomo (Getting Down to the Moor), Vicente Aranda (If they tell you I fell ) and Carlos Saura (Shoot! ).
The one who took Antonio Banderas to Hollywood was Madonna, dazzled by the good bearing of the actor, whom she had discovered in Almodóvar’s cinema. The actress and singer tried to seduce him in the documentaryIn bed with Madonna , which followed a tour of the ‘Like A Virgin’ singer. Shortly after, Andy García refused to star inThe kings of the mambo play love songs and the producers decided to bet on Banderas, who had to learn the role phonetically, since he barely spoke English. With his role as a Cuban musician in this drama by Arne Glimcher , he began his takeoff in the United States, as he became the most sought-after Latino in the cinema of this country, parallel to the decline of the aforementioned García. After the crash ofThe House of the Spirits , an unsuccessful adaptation of the novel by Isabel Allende directed by Bille August , Jonathan Demme established Banderas in the North American industry, turning him into the homosexual boyfriend of Tom Hanks , sick with AIDS inPhiladelphia . He decided to leave Spanish cinema to concentrate on his career in Hollywood, and although at first he dubbed himself in Spain, he ended up realizing that it was not his field, and leaving that work to dubbing professionals.
From that moment on, some of his films were successful, such asInterview with the Vampire , Desperado and to some extentFour Rooms , but others crashed at the box office, likeMiami ,Of love and shadowsKillers and Never Talk to Strangers . Didn’t get the expected results either.Two Much , a tribute to the American comedy shot in English by Fernando Trueba , but during filming Banderas fell madly in love with Melanie Griffith , one of his co-stars. “Before she seduced me, I was a huge fan of hers,” the actor has commented. Although Banderas had married actress Ana Leza , he was so taken with Tippi Hedren ‘s daughter that he divorced her to join her. Although the press thought it was a publicity stunt to sell the film, the truth is that to this day he remains with Melanie, with whom he had a daughter: Stella del Carmen Banderas Griffith.
Banderas has done especially well in the adventure film arena, especially as the most popular Latino hero, inThe Mask of Zorro , and its sequel,The Legend of Zorro , which paired him with Catherine Zeta-Jones . His role was much shorter inSpy Kids , which had two sequels. She also starredThe 13th warrior . But the actor has tried his luck with the thriller (Femme Fatale ), the comedy (White River Kid ) and even magical realism (Imagining Argentina ). He also stands out in the field of musicals, as he played ‘Che “Guevara inEvita , and triumphed on Broadway with the musical ‘Nine’. In addition, she gave the voice to Puss in Boots, a celebrated character from the animated filmShrek 2 , which will soon have its own movie.
In addition to being a regular character at the Oscars ceremonies and other award ceremonies, Banderas is known for his support of any Spaniard who appears in Hollywood. In addition, he debuted as a director with the surprisingCrazy in Alabama . Although he had not made films in Spain for more than a decade, he filmed in his native Malaga the risky dramaThe way of the English , his second work as a director. “I had the opportunity to meet Woody Allen , because my wife worked incelebrity . Woody asked me if I didn’t find it infinitely easier to direct than to act. I couldn’t give you an answer. Now, after directing my second feature, I wouldn’t know what to say to him either”, Banderas commented.