Antonio Banderas Opens Up About His Decision to Leave Hollywood for Spain: ‘My Hometown’

Antonio Banderas made a lot of memories in Hollywood but he always knew he would end up back in Spain.

“Those were beautiful, exciting years. But I always had this sense of provisionality that it was not going to last my whole life,” the actor, 65, said in an interview with People published on Friday, August 7. “I knew that Málaga was there, my hometown. I was not supposed to be in Malibu, but in Málaga.”

Banderas moved from Spain to the United States in 1995 after falling in love with now ex-wife Melanie Griffith while on set of their rom-com Two Much. At the time, Griffith, 68, was already mom to two children: son Alexander Bauer and daughter Dakota Johnson, whom she welcomed during previous relationships. The pair wed in May 1996 after his divorce from first wife Ana Leza was finalized that same year.

While Banderas was already a doting stepfather, he and Griffith expanded their family shortly after their nuptials when they welcomed daughter Stella, 29, in September 1996.

In June 2014, Griffith and Banderas called it quits after 18 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in December 2015. Banderas moved on with current girlfriend Nicole Kimpel in November 2015.

Despite their split, Banderas and Griffith have remained close over the years. Banderas has referred to Griffith as one of his “best friends.” While Banderas has his roots in Spain, he regularly visits Hollywood to spend time with his family.

“When I go to Los Angeles, we get together anyway, we got a lot of fun,” he told the outlet of reuniting with his ex. “We laugh and we just … It’s a very healthy thing, and it was very healthy for our kids.”

Earlier this year, Banderas shared that his desire to move back to Spain came after he suffered a heart attack in 2017.

“It was like somebody put glasses on me so I could see the reality that I didn’t see before. I was just too worried about stupid things. We sometimes forget that we are going to die,” he reflected. “People live like they are not going to die. They collect things and they collect. I don’t want to collect anything … The only thing that I am interested in now is the experience of living.”

While Banderas travels to Los Angeles to see his loved ones, Stella also visits him in Spain. Last year, Stella wed husband Alex Gruszynski in her father’s hometown.

“I’m Andalusian, I’m an actor, I’m a father … and it was a storm of emotions!” Banderas told Hello! of his daughter’s big day in October 2025. “I tried to keep my composure, but it was difficult not to shed a few tears looking at Stella.”