Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas (born José Antonio Domínguez Bandera) is an actor, director and producer best known for roles in The Mask of Zorro, Desperado, Puss in Boots and Pain and Glory. Banderas was born and raised in Málaga, Spain, where he initially pursued a career in professional soccer before an injury led him to acting. He studied at the School of Dramatic Art in Málaga and went on to join the Spanish National Theatre.

Banderas began working with director Pedro Almodóvar in the early 1980s, starring in several of his films including Labyrinth of Passion (1982) and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988). He broke into Hollywood in the 1990s with The Mambo Kings (1992), Philadelphia (1993) and Interview with the Vampire (1994). He became a major star with lead roles in Desperado (1995), Evita (1996) and The Mask of Zorro (1998). He later voiced Puss in Boots in the Shrek franchise and its spinoffs.

In 2019, Banderas received widespread acclaim for his role in Pain and Glory, earning Best Actor at Cannes and an Academy Award nomination. His later projects include The Enforcer (2022), Babygirl (2024) and Paddington in Peru (2024).

Banderas was wed to Spanish actress Ana Leza from 1987 to 1996. He moved on with actress Melanie Griffith in 1996 after they met filming Two Much, and they welcomed daughter Stella Banderas that same year. The couple separated in 2014 and finalized their divorce in 2015. He began dating Nicole Kimpel that same year.