Antonio Banderas: Spain’s heartthrob, Málaga’s prodigal son

Antonio Banderas is arguably Málaga's favourite son

Younger readers might not recognise Antonio Banderas’ smouldering face, but they will certainly know his voice. Since Shrek became a worldwide smash hit in the early Noughties, the hotly anticipated Shrek 2 introduced the world to Puss in Boots – and a whole new audience to Banderas’ talents. As the voice of Puss in Boots, Banderas earned universal acclaim, picking up numerous awards and nominations for his comedic dexterity and flair.

He has reprised the role four times since that 2004 debut, and his raspy take on the fierce and fearsome kitty never gets old.

But there’s far more to Banderas than his fine feline talent. For the past 20 years he has been one of Hollywood’s most bankable male leads, rivalling Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the A-list stakes of attraction, hidden depths and that unique ability very few men have to make women go weak at the knees. Not bad for a skinny kid from Málaga…

Born in 1960 to a schoolteacher mother and police officer father, José Antonio Domínguez Banderas was raised as a devout Roman Catholic – a common practice for Andalusian families at the time. Today, Banderas and his wife, fellow Hollywood ‘90s A-lister Melanie Griffith, are careful to never miss Semana Santa and Málaga’s Easter processions.

Religion – although he has hinted that it’s more the ‘tradition’ – is extremely important to Banderas, so much so that it is said his movie contracts include a clause that ensure his commitments to Holy Week are not compromised when on set.

Banderas is on set a little less these days than his ‘90s heyday. Following a string of critically acclaimed Spanish-language hits (most notably when starring in Pedro Almodóvar’s Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!), Banderas caught the attention of none other than Madonna, who cast him in her 1991 film, Madonna: Truth or Dare.

The global breakthrough came when Banderas starred as Tom Hanks’ gay lover in Philadelphia in 1993. After that, the hits kept on coming, with Banderas’ filmography reading like a roll-call of some of the best movies of the Nineties.

But despite Banderas’ global profile, US success and love of California, he has stayed endearingly true to his Andalusian roots. He and his family regularly return to the Málaga region to spend time in their beachside mansion near Marbella – in fact, his daughter, Stella del Carmen, was born at the Costa del Sol hospital in 1996. And when Banderas is ‘home’, as he calls it, the local paparazzi are enthralled but respectful. Locals love him. Hollywood loves him. Women adore him. And the paps afford him a level of peace and privacy that is rare for such a bona fide star.

The reason being? Well, Banderas is a true gentleman, a credit to Málaga and a universally adored superstar. He is Málaga’s prodigal son, a worldwide ambassador for Spain and a committed family man. He is also a generous philanthropist, and his charity – Lagrimas y Favores (Tears and Favours) Foundation – regularly donates hundreds of thousands of euros to pay for college scholarships taking disadvantaged Andalusians to the USA and Canada, and to swell the coffers of Caritas, a Catholic charity, and Cudeca, the Costa del Sol’s cancer hospice in Benalmádena founded by British expat Joan Hunt OBE.

What’s not to love?