Antonio Banderas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antonio Banderas
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Banderas in 2025
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| Born |
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera
10 August 1960 |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Partner(s) | Nicole Kimpel (2015–present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born August 10, 1960), known to the world as Antonio Banderas, is a famous actor from Spain. He is known for acting in many different kinds of movies. Over his long career, he has won many awards, including a Cannes Film Festival Award and a Goya Award (Spain's version of the Oscars). He has also been nominated for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.
Banderas started his career in Spain, working with director Pedro Almodóvar. They made many popular films together, such as Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) and Pain and Glory (2019). His role in Pain and Glory won him the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award nomination.
In the 1990s, Banderas became a major star in Hollywood. He appeared in hit movies like Philadelphia (1993), Interview with the Vampire (1994), and Evita (1996). He is famous for playing the hero Zorro in The Mask of Zorro (1998) and its sequel. Younger audiences know him as the dad in the Spy Kids movies and as the voice of the cool cat, Puss in Boots, in the Shrek series.
Banderas has also worked in theater. He starred in the Broadway musical Nine in 2003 and was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. He has also been nominated for Emmy Awards for playing historical figures Pancho Villa and Pablo Picasso on television.
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Early Life and First Steps in Acting
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera was born on August 10, 1960, in Málaga, a city in the Andalusia region of Spain. His father, José, was a police officer, and his mother, Ana, was a schoolteacher. He has a younger brother named Francisco.
As a boy, Antonio dreamed of being a professional football (soccer) player. But when he was 15, he broke his foot, which ended his sports dream. This led him to discover a new passion: acting. He joined a local theater school and began performing in plays. His talent soon got him a place in the Spanish National Theatre.
Career
1982–1989: Working with Pedro Almodóvar
While acting in the theater, Banderas was noticed by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. Almodóvar gave him his first movie role in the comedy Labyrinth of Passion (1982). This was the start of a long and successful partnership.
They worked together on many films in the 1980s. Banderas starred in Almodóvar's internationally famous movie, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988). He also starred in Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989). In this film, he played a man who kidnaps an actress, hoping she will fall in love with him. These unique roles made him a star in Spain and helped him get noticed in Hollywood.
1990–1999: Becoming a Hollywood Star
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In the early 1990s, Banderas moved to the United States to act in American movies. At first, he barely spoke any English and had to learn his lines by sounding them out. Even so, he gave a great performance as a musician in his first American film, The Mambo Kings (1992).
He became well-known to American audiences in the movie Philadelphia (1993), where he acted alongside Tom Hanks. He then starred with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire (1994). His career took off with leading roles in action films like Desperado (1995).
In 1996, he starred with Madonna in the musical movie Evita, where he played the narrator, Che. His performance earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. His most famous role from this time was playing the masked hero Zorro in The Mask of Zorro (1998), with Catherine Zeta-Jones. The role made him a worldwide star.
2000–2009: Famous Franchises and Broadway
In the 2000s, Banderas starred in several major movie series. He played Gregorio Cortez, the super-spy dad in the Spy Kids movies (2001–2003). These films were big hits with families.
In 2004, he joined the cast of the animated movie Shrek 2 as the voice of Puss in Boots. The character, a smooth-talking cat with a sword, became incredibly popular. Banderas voiced Puss in Boots in all the Shrek sequels and in the character's own spin-off movies.
In 2003, Banderas showed his talent on stage. He made his debut on Broadway in the musical Nine. For his performance, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also won the Drama Desk Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
He also starred in the TV film And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003), playing the famous Mexican revolutionary. His performance earned him nominations for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
2010–present: Returning to Spanish Films and More
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In 2011, Banderas worked with director Pedro Almodóvar again for the first time in over 20 years. He starred in the thriller The Skin I Live In. Critics said it was one of his best performances. That same year, he starred in the hit animated film Puss in Boots, which told the origin story of his famous Shrek character.
In 2018, he played the famous artist Pablo Picasso in the TV series Genius. He received Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for the role.
In 2019, Banderas gave one of his most celebrated performances in Almodóvar's film Pain and Glory. He played an aging film director looking back on his life. For this role, Banderas won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival and received his first-ever Academy Award nomination.
More recently, he appeared in the action film Uncharted (2022) and returned as the voice of Puss in Boots in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022). In 2023, he had a role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Personal Life
Banderas was married to Ana Leza from 1987 to 1996. He later married American actress Melanie Griffith in 1996. They have a daughter named Stella del Carmen Banderas, who was born in 1996. Banderas and Griffith divorced in 2015 but have remained close friends.
Since 2015, Banderas has been in a relationship with Nicole Kimpel, an investment banker.
In 2017, Banderas had a heart attack. He later said the experience changed his life for the better. It helped him focus on what was truly important to him.
Banderas is a big supporter of his hometown football team, Málaga CF. He also owns part of a winery in Spain called Anta Banderas. He has his own line of popular perfumes. In 2019, he opened his own theater, the Teatro del Soho, in his hometown of Málaga to support the performing arts.
Awards and Honors
Throughout his career, Antonio Banderas has received many awards and honors. Some of his most important recognitions include:
- An Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for Pain and Glory.
- Five Golden Globe Award nominations for his work in movies and television.
- Two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for playing Pancho Villa and Pablo Picasso.
- A Tony Award nomination for his role in the Broadway musical Nine.
- The Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for Pain and Glory.
- The Goya Award for Best Actor (Spain's highest film honor) for Pain and Glory.
- A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which he received in 2005.
Images for kids
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Banderas (center right) with members of The 33 and Chile government officials in 2015
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See also
In Spanish: Antonio Banderas para niños
- List of actors with Hollywood Walk of Fame motion picture stars
- List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
