Hollywood Star Reveals Why He Never Belonged in Los Angeles

Clear Facts

• Antonio Banderas left Los Angeles after 18 years to return to his hometown of Málaga, Spain
• The 65-year-old actor originally moved to California for his marriage to Melanie Griffith, which ended in 2015
• Banderas says he always knew his time in Malibu was temporary and that he belonged back in Spain

Antonio Banderas is opening up about his decision to leave Hollywood behind and return to his roots in Spain. The veteran actor says he always knew Los Angeles wasn’t his permanent home.

During a recent interview, the 65-year-old explained he originally moved to Los Angeles to be with Melanie Griffith after the two fell in love. She had two young children at the time and couldn’t relocate to Spain.

“Those were beautiful, exciting years. But I always had this sense of provisionality that it was not going to last my whole life. I knew that Málaga was there, my hometown. I was not supposed to be in Malibu, but in Málaga.”

Griffith and Banderas married in 1996, just one year after connecting on set of the 1995 movie “Two Much.” Not long after tying the knot, the two welcomed their daughter, Stella, in September 1996.

The couple was married for 18 years before Griffith filed for divorce in June 2014, citing irreconcilable differences. They finalized their divorce a little over a year later, in December 2015.

Despite the end of their marriage, Banderas maintains a strong relationship with his ex-wife.

“When we separated, we were always very sincere. And now she is, if not my best friend, one of my best friends.”

While married to Griffith, Banderas was stepfather to her two children, Alexander Bauer and actress Dakota Johnson. The Spanish actor remains close to his stepdaughter and recently expressed interest in working with her professionally.

Speaking to E! News in February 2025, Banderas said he “would love to work with Dakota someday,” not only because she is family, but “because she’s a good actress.”

“She’s a good actress in many different ways, because she’s a great comedian, too. She developed now her career more in drama, but I remember when she did a TV show called Ben and Kate that I got a lot of fun [out of seeing] her on the screen, because she got the rhythm of comedy, too.”

Banderas is currently starring in the Anthony Bourdain biopic “Tony,” but got his big break in mainstream American films in the 1993 movie “Philadelphia.” He went on to star in “Interview with the Vampire,” “Desperado,” “The Mask of Zorro” and others, including “Pain and Glory” in 2020, which earned him an Academy Award nomination.

During an interview with The Times in March, Banderas reflected on the early days of his career and recalled being told upon his arrival in Hollywood that he was there “like the Blacks and the Hispanics, to play the bad guys.”

“The problem was, a few years later, I had a mask, hat, sword and cape and the bad guy was Captain Love, who was blond and had blue eyes. Even more important is ‘Puss in Boots,’ because it’s for young kids. They see a cat that has a Spanish, even an Andalusian accent, and he’s a good guy.”

The actor’s return to Spain represents a full-circle moment for someone who found tremendous success in Hollywood but never forgot where he came from. His story resonates with many who understand the pull of home and heritage, even after achieving the American dream.

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