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José Antonio Domínguez Banderas (born August 10 , 1960 ), better known as '''Antonio Banderas''', is a Spanish film actor. He is usually cited as the most prominent Spanish actor in America. BIOGRAPHY Early life Banderas was born in Málaga , Andalucía , Spain to José Domínguez, a State Department worker, and Doña Ana Banderas, a teacher. He has a brother, Francisco. Banderas was raised a Catholic , but no longer follows the religion.1 Banderas initially wanted to play soccer professionally, but his dream ended when he broke his foot at age 14. As a young man, he travelled penniless to Madrid , in order to make a career in the Spanish film industry. Career Banderas first gained wide attention through a series of films by ''), which was a minor success in the United States . He subsequently moved to the U.S. and began appearing in American films; some of his earlier roles there included the 1992 film, '' The Mambo Kings '', as well as a supporting role in the Oscar -winning 1993 film, '' Philadelphia ''. He appeared in several major Hollywood releases in 1995 , including a starring role in the Robert Rodriguez -directed film, '' Desperado ''. For the majority of the 1990 s and 2000 s, Banderas remained in the United States and has starred in several notable Box Office successes, including playing the title role in the '' The Mask Of Zorro '' ( 1998 ) and '' The Legend Of Zorro '' ( 2005 ). Banderas has also frequently collaborated with his ''Desperado'' director, Rodriguez, who cast Banderas in the '' Spy Kids '' film trilogy and the final installment in the "Mariachi" trilogy, '' Once Upon A Time In Mexico ''. Banderas' sole credit as a director was the poorly-received ''Crazy in Alabama'' ( 1999 ), starring his wife Melanie Griffith . In 2003, Banderas appeared, to great acclaim, in the Broadway revival of Maury Yeston 's musical '' Nine '', based on the film '' 8 1/2 '', playing the prime role originated by the late Raul Julia . Banderas won both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards, and was nominated for the Tony Award for best actor in a musical.2 His performance is preserved on the Broadway cast recording released by PS Classics . Banderas' voice role as Puss In Boots in '' Shrek 2 '' made the character popular on the family film circuit, and a spin-off movie starring his character is scheduled for release in 2008 . His latest film, '' Take The Lead '', a high-school movie in which he plays a real-life Ballroom Dancing teacher, opened on April 7 , 2006 . Banderas' upcoming projects include starring as the title character in a new Broadway production of the 1995 film, '' Don Juan DeMarco '', as well as in the films '' Conquistador '', a historical epic in which he will play Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes (filming will begin in September 2006 in Spain , Mexico and South America ),3 and '' Shrek 3 '' (currently scheduled for a 2007 release), in which he will once again voice Puss In Boots. Personal life Banderas divorced his first wife, Ana Leza, and in 1996 married actress Melanie Griffith , whom he had met during the shooting of '' Two Much ''. They have a daughter, Stella del Carmen Banderas Griffith (also simply Stella Banderas), who appeared in the film ''Crazy in Alabama'', which Banderas directed. Banderas has invested his movie earnings in businesses marketing Andalusia n products, which he promotes in Spain and the USA. He is a fan of the Spanish soccer club Real Madrid . SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY '' film poster]] REFERENCES Footnotes Interviews
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