The multi-award winning actor and director can be seen in these top five must-watch films.
Antonio Banderas, who was born José Antonio Domínguez Banderas on this day back in 1960 celebrates decades of a career both in front of and behind the camera. The 62 year old actor and director, who was born in Málaga, Spain to a police officer and a teacher, first dreamed of becoming a soccer athlete, but these dreams were shattered when his foot was seriously injured at the age of 14.
Banderas later developed an interest in acting when he saw the musical "Hair." It was in 1981 when started a five-year acting run with the the Spanish National Theatre in Madrid, as per Britannica. In 1989, the then 29 year old actor moved to Hollywood to pursue an even bigger career despite not being fluent in English at the time.
Antonio Banderas' Pursuits In and Outside of Hollywood
Banderas' sheer talent and mesmerizing looks landed him roles in 1993's box-office hit "Philadelphia" with Tom Hanks and "The House of the Spirits," as well as 1994's "Interview with the Vampire" with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
As a leading man, the Spanish actor showed off his immense talent with 1998's "The Mask of Zorro," which also starred Catherine Zeta-Jones. It was also in 1999 when Banderas made his directorial debut with the film "Crazy in Alabama," a comedy drama starring Melanie Griffith, who was also his second wife with whom he shared 19 years of marriage with.
Banderas' prolific career spans acting, directing, and lending his voice to animated characters. He received his first Academy Award nomination for his performance as Almodóvar, a director contemplating his life in 2019's "Pain and Glory."
Outside of the entertainment industry, Banderas is also an entrepreneur who co-owns a winery in Villalba de Duero, Burgos, Spain and a promoter of fragrances for Spanish fashion and fragrance company Puig.
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Antonio Banderas' Most Important Film Projects Available on Netflix
Banderas' acting and directing career spans decades, but some of his most meaningful work is now available on Netflix to revisit. Here's a list of Antonio Banderas movies that fans and enthusiasts must see.
1. The Mask of Zorro
One of the films that truly catapulted Antonio Banderas to international stardom and made him a household name was Martin Campbell's "The Mask of Zorro" from 1998. The swashbuckler film, which is now on Netflix, is based on the character Zorro created by Johnston McCulley.
In the film, Banderas plays the role of the titular character alongside his love interest played by Zeta-Jones and Anthony Hopkins, the elder Zorro who passes on the mask and the role of the hero to Banderas.
2. Interview with the Vampire
Based on the 1976 novel of the same name written by Anne Rice, "Interview with the Vampire" also placed Banderas among Hollywood A-listers such as Cruise and Pitt.
In the 1994 film, Banderas played Armand, a young painter who had been turned into a vampire to lead a coven in Paris.
3. Puss in Boots
Banderas has also famously lent his voice to the titular character in this film, who first appeared in the "Shrek" film series. T
he "Shrek" spin-off followsPuss, played by Banderas, as he went on his own adventures alongside Salma Hayek's Kitty Softpaws, Zach Galifianakis's Humpty Alexander Dumpty, and Jack and Jill, played by Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris, respectively.
4. The Expendables 3
In the 2014 action film directed by Patrick Hughes, Banderas joins a star-studded cast who make up a mercenary group called The Expendables. In the film, now available on Netflix, the group has to deal with their co-founder who is out to destroy them.
Banderas was initially offered a role for the second film in the series, but had no time for it due to his busy schedule. The actor joined the third installment, playing the role of Galgo, an expert sharpshooter and former member of the Spanish Armed Forces.
5. The Laundromat
Most recently, Banderas appeared in Steven Soderbergh's biographical comedy-drama film, "The Laundromat," in which he plays Ramón Fonseca, a lawyer and narrator of the film, which focuses on the revelatory Panama Papers.
The movie is based on Jake Bernstein's book, "Secrecy World" and also stars Meryl Streep and Gary Oldman.
