The name Antonio Banderas has become synonymous with steamy sex appeal, as housewives across America continue to dream about their favorite Latin Lover. Unsurprisingly (Penélope Cruz has the same problem), the latter term is a media creation, as Banderas is actually Spanish – born August 10, 1960 in Málaga, Andalucía, Spain. Banderas grew up dreaming of football (the European variety), but despite his talents a leg injury at age 14 dashed his hopes. When he moved to Madrid after school it was for the burgeoning Spanish film industry, not the vaunted Real Madrid, which remains his favorite sports team.
Too sexy and fresh to be missed, Banderas quickly made a name for himself in Spain, particularly with the films of Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, who was also carving himself a place in Spanish cinema. Their early collaborations remain some of Almodóvar’s quirkiest films – “Matador,” “Law of Desire,” and “Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!” among them. The last film was a rare foreign hit in the U.S. and thus earned him considerable exposure in the West. He soon branched out to supporting roles in Hollywood productions, and made a splash with “The Mambo Kings,” the Tom Hanks-led Oscar winner “Philadelphia,” and particularly the star-studded gothic tale “Interview with the Vampire,” which paired him with Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Christian Slater, and a very young Kirsten Dunst. The Robert Rodriguez-directed surprise hit “Desperado” truly made him an international star, and he was soon headlining films like “Assassins” with Sylvester Stallone and the blockbuster hit “The Mask of Zorro” alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anthony Hopkins. It was during the filming of 1995’s “Two Much” that he met and fell in love with future wife Melanie Griffith.
In addition to starring in numerous films such as Brian De Palma’s “Femme Fatale,” the naughty Angelina Jolie team-up “Original Sin,” and last year’s “Take the Lead,” Banderas joined the hugely popular “Shrek” franchise for its second outing in 2004. As the suave, horny kitty ‘Puss in Boots,’ Banderas has created another hilarious character for the series. Banderas is currently starring alongside “Shrek” regulars Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy in “Shrek the Third,” and later in 2007 he can be seen with Meg Ryan and Colin Hanks in “Homeland Security.” A “Shrek” spin-off film, “Puss in Boots,” has recently been green-lit for release in 2010.