Antonio Banderas is a Spanish actor, director, producer and singer who has become an international icon with his portrayal of leading roles in some of the most popular films in recent years. He gained fame for his performances in hit movies such as The Mask of Zorro, Desperado and Spy Kids.
Born José Antonio Dominguez at Málaga on August 10th 1960, Antonio was raised by his mother Ana and father Jose. After attending school to study business he decided to pursue a career in acting instead. In 1981 he moved to Madrid where he attended the prestigious National Theatre School before making his professional debut two years later. His breakthrough role came when he starred as El Mariachi in Robert Rodriguez’s cult classic movie Desperado (1995). From then onwards Antonio went from strength to strength appearing alongside Hollywood A-listers like Tom Cruise (Interview With The Vampire) and Brad Pitt (Assassins).
In 1998 Antonio made history by becoming the first Spaniard ever to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award – Best Actor – following his performance as Alejandro Murrieta/Zorro in The Mask Of Zorro (1998). This recognition cemented him firmly onto Hollywood’s radar; with subsequent box office hits including Shrek 2 (2004), Puss In Boots (2011) and Spy Kids 3D: Game Over (2003).
As well as being an accomplished actor, Antonio has also ventured into directing and producing over the past few years – contributing significantly towards Spain’s film industry revival during this time period. He directed Crazy In Alabama starring Melanie Griffith – which premiered at Cannes Film Festival 1999 -and co-produced Salma Hayek’s critically acclaimed new biopic Frida Kahlo alongside her husband Francois Henri Pinault.
Outside of work, Antonio is known for being an avid philanthropist dedicating much of his free time towards charities that support children around the world; having been appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2003. Additionally he often expresses how important it is for him to maintain strong ties with Spain despite living abroad – frequently visiting family back home whenever possible.
Overall there’s no denying just how far Antonio Banderas has come since starting out thirty plus years ago; becoming one of our generation’s most beloved actors who continues inspiring us through both cinema and real life!
His career began in 1982 with a small role in the movie Labyrinth of Passion by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. After that, he went on to appear in several other films by Almodovar including Matador (1986), Law of Desire (1987) and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988).
In 1991 Antonio made his English-language debut with The Mambo Kings. It was this performance that caught the attention of American audiences and earned him much critical acclaim. From there he went on to star alongside some great actors such as Tom Hanks in Philadelphia (1993), Mel Gibson In Braveheart (1995) and Brad Pitt In Spy Game (2001).
He has also starred alongside some incredible actresses including Melanie Griffiths In Crazy In Alabama (1999), Salma Hayek In Desperado (1995) and Catherine Zeta Jones In The Mask Of Zorro (1998). Aside from acting, Antonio has been involved with many philanthropic activities such as helping to raise money for victims affected by natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina or participating actively in HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns around the world.
It’s clear why so many people love Antonio Banderas: he’s talented, passionate about his work and genuinely cares about making a difference through charity initiatives. As one critic said “he is not only an excellent actor but also someone who uses his fame for good causes” – something we can all admire!
