younger brother, Francisco Javier, affectionately called Chico.
At the age of 14, Antonio began acting with a small theater company in Málaga, although his real dream
was to play professional soccer and dreamed of playing for Real Madrid. After breaking his foot, he
turned to the stage as his primary interest, studying at the School of Dramatic Art in Málaga.
At age 19 in 1981, Banderas moved to Madrid and joined the ensemble of the National Theater of Spain.
Taking many small jobs to make ends meet, such as waiter and dish washer, he was willing to turn his
hand to anything to enable him to stay in Madrid and realize his dreams.
Banderas made numerous Spanish-language films starting in 1982 and along with Victoria Abril was the
favorite of filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, who he feels a brotherly closeness to.
However it wasn't until The Mambo Kings (1992) that Banderas made his U.S. film debut -- although many
American women first noticed his sensual Latin good looks in the U.S. run of Almodóvar's Women on the
Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) and Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down! (1990). Because Banderas did not
speak English, his dialogue for The Mambo Kings was taught to him phonetically. This was a very difficult
and challenging time for our star.
When asked was it true he spoke little English he replied, "Little? I spoke none nada!"
Often compared with Rudolph Valentino for his Latin looks and heavy accent, Antonio is considered one
of Hollywood's most attractive leading men, high on the A list.
His more notable film roles have included a turn in Interview With the Vampire (1994), opposite Tom
Cruise and Brad Pitt; a sensitive performance as the lover of Tom Hanks' AIDS-stricken lawyer in
Philadelphia (1993); and an impressive singing performance as Ché, the voice of the people, in Evita
(1996), co-starring the pop goddess (and longtime Banderas fan) Madonna in the title role.
In 1998, Banderas won critical and popular acclaim for his portrayal of Zorro in the swashbuckling hit The
Mask of Zorro (1998), with Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The follow on to this "The legend
Of Zorro" is to be released in November (2005). His 1999 projects included the Michael Crichton thriller
The 13th Warrior and Play it to the Bone, costarring Woody Harrelson and Lucy Liu. In late 2000, he
starred opposite Angelina Jolie in the steamy romance Original Sin. (The unedited version of this is WOW)
Banderas' first wife was the actress Ana Leza, who appeared with him in numerous films including
Philadelphia (1993). After eight years of marriage, they separated amid public speculation and horror in
1995 and divorced in 1996. Banderas met his second wife, actress Melanie Griffith, on the set of Two
Much in January, 1995. They married in London on May 14, 1996 and had a daughter, Estella del Carmen
Banderas Griffith, on September 24, 1996. The two reunited for Crazy in Alabama (1999), which marked
Banderas' directorial debut.
Melanie has two children from previous marriages to Don Johnson (Dakota) and Steve Bauer, (Alex)
Well established as a heartthrob and a talented dramatic actor by the end of the 1990s, the fact that
Desperado director Robert Rodriguez was the only director to have explored Banderas' comic potential
(Banderas provided one of the few memorable performances in Rodriguez' segment of the otherwise
abysmal Four Rooms (1995)) hinted at a heretofore unexplored but potentially lucrative territory for the
actor.
Later approached by Rodriguez to portray the super-spy patriarch in the family oriented adventure
comedy Spy Kids (2001), Banderas charmed children and adults alike with his role as a kidnapped agent
whose children must discover their inner strength in order to rescue their mother and father. After
reprising his role in the following year's Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3: Game Over .
Banderas would next return to more adult oriented roles in both Brian DePalma's Femme Fatale and
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (both 2002). After essaying a more historic role in the dramatic biopic Frida (also
2002), the remarkably diverse actor would one again team with Rodriguez for the sprawling Once Upon a
Time in Mexico (2003).
In 2004, Imagining Argentina was slated at the Venice film fest amid howls of humiliation. But this well
made sensitive film, is a must to see.
Also 2004 gave us SHREK2 wherein Banderas voiced "Puss in Boots" alongside Mike Myers Shrek and
Eddie Murphys "Donkey" , in which he stole the show. A spin off of Puss has the signiture of Banderas
and he has been whispered for Shrek 3/4.
In April 2005 Banderas is off to Canada to shoot "Take the lead" where he will play a dance instructor. Get
out your salsa shoes ladies and gents we are all in for the dance of our lives.
Antonio has never lost track of who he is and will continue to stay grounded in show business forever!
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