{"id":340139,"date":"2025-08-13T03:35:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T03:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/340139\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T03:35:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T03:35:22","slug":"pride-in-daughter-stellas-upcoming-wedding-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/340139\/","title":{"rendered":"Pride in daughter Stella’s upcoming wedding in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once upon a time, on August 10, 1960, a boy was born in M\u00e1laga, Spain. At home, they called him Nonito, but the world would come to know him as Antonio Banderas<\/a>. \u201cSixty-five years!…\u201d the actor shared with \u00a1HOLA! Spain on the eve of his birthday.<\/strong> \u201cIt sounds like a lot, but in my mind, I still feel the same curiosity and energy I had as a young dreamer in M\u00e1laga.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Antonio\u00a9 Javier SalasOn August 10th, Antonio Banderas turned 65, and reflectied on his professional and personal journey.<\/p>\n

Like another global Spanish icon, Julio Iglesias<\/strong>, Banderas once dreamed of becoming a soccer player, even joining M\u00e1laga\u2019s youth team, until an injury at age fourteen changed his course forever. At 19, with little more than a sandwich and 15,000 pesetas in his pocket (\u201cMy mother sewed hidden pockets into my clothes in case someone tried to rob me\u201d), he took a leap of faith and headed to Madrid. The capital city was then alive with the spirit of la Movida and the cinematic revolution of\u00a0<\/strong>Pedro Almod\u00f3var<\/strong>, and it was a city of endless possibilities.<\/p>\n

Back in M\u00e1laga, when the teacher took attendance, he was Jos\u00e9 Antonio Dom\u00ednguez Bandera<\/strong>. Decades later, in Hollywood, all would fall silent when they heard one name: Antonio Banderas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Antonio\u00a9 Getty ImagesAntonio with Pedro Almod\u00f3var and Pen\u00e9lope Cruz<\/p>\n

\u201cThe years go by, but my appetite for life doesn\u2019t fade,\u201d he reflects, especially now, a milestone birthday coinciding with a milestone in his personal life. His daughter, Stella del Carmen, \u201cthe apple of my eye\u201d, is putting the final touches on her wedding to Alex Gruszynsky, a celebration that will unite Hollywood and Spain. \u201cI couldn\u2019t be happier or prouder,\u201d he says with his signature warmth. \u201cWatching my daughter grow up and now take such an important step\u2026It\u2019s indescribable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

“Seeing my daughter dressed as a bride will be one of the most beautiful moments of my life. I get to be the father of the bride, and it\u2019s a role I take on with all the emotion in the world.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Antonio Banderas
\n \"Antonio\u00a9 Getty Images
\nA Journey Full Circle<\/p>\n

Who would have told the young man leaving beloved M\u00e1laga in search of his dreams that he\u2019d one day return as a theater entrepreneur, bringing culture back to his hometown? Banderas has never forgotten his roots. He\u2019s a whirlwind of ideas and projects, always creating.<\/p>\n

In 1992, he packed his bags for Hollywood, carrying M\u00e1laga in his heart, a heart that gave him a scare years later. On January 26, 2017, while at his country home in London, he suffered a heart attack at age 56. Determined to keep moving forward, he refocused his energy on his hometown and his greatest passion, the theater. \u201cEvery wrinkle on my face tells a story, a lesson, and I\u2019m grateful for every single one,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"Antonio\u00a9 Steve GranitzAntonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith and daughter Stella <\/p>\n

From the M\u00e1laga School of Dramatic Arts to the hard early days in Madrid, until Almod\u00f3var put him in front of the camera (Labyrinth of Passion, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Women on the\u00a0Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), his career has been cinematic in itself. \u201cI\u2019ve always believed life is a grand stage, and I\u2019ve been lucky enough to stand on many, from the theaters of my hometown to Hollywood\u2019s biggest studios.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollywood gave him its heart, both figuratively and literally. In 1995, while filming Fernando Trueba<\/strong>\u2019s Two Much, he met Melanie Griffith<\/a>. They fell in love, married, and had Stella<\/a>. Although this year marks a decade since their divorce, they\u2019ve kept a warm, respectful relationship, especially now, as they both joyfully anticipate their daughter\u2019s wedding this October to her preschool crush-turned-best friend-turned-love of her life<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

“I couldn\u2019t be happier or prouder. Watching my daughter grow up and now take this important step is an indescribable emotion.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Antonio Banderas<\/p>\n

\"Endearing\u00a9 IG: @antoniobanderasEndearing moments with Stella as a child<\/p>\n

A Long-Awaited Wedding<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a long-awaited wedding, and we\u2019re all thrilled, because Alex has been like family since they were kids,\u201d Antonio says. Father and daughter have always shared a close bond, balancing her American upbringing with his Spanish heritage. Stella has been actively involved in Banderas\u2019s beloved Teatro del Soho CaixaBank in M\u00e1laga.<\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s Antonio\u2019s turn, with longtime partner Nicole Kimpel by his side, to walk Stella down the aisle. \u201cHaving her get married in Spain fills me with pride,\u201d he tells \u00a1HOLA!. \u201cShe\u2019s very Andalusian, very much from M\u00e1laga, even if she grew up in the U.S. This is her way of reconnecting with her roots and sharing her homeland with her future husband and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Media\u00a9 Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n

“It will be an intimate celebration, surrounded by our dearest loved ones. We want it to be a moment for family and friends, without great fanfare.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Antonio Banderas<\/p>\n

Banderas won\u2019t share every detail, but says the ceremony will be \u201cintimate, surrounded by our loved ones\u2026exactly what Stella and Alex want, and what we, as parents, respect and support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Come October, the exact date still under wraps, the family will gather in Spain to celebrate the union of two people whose story began at Wagon Wheel School in Los Angeles, and who got engaged in August 2024.<\/p>\n

\"Media\u00a9 Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cSeeing my daughter in her wedding dress will be one of the most beautiful moments of my life,\u201d he admits. \u201cNow it\u2019s my turn to be the father of the bride, and it\u2019s a role I take on with all the emotion in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Turning Point<\/p>\n

Born in Marbella on September 24, 1996, Stella grew up in Los Angeles but always stayed connected to M\u00e1laga, spending countless Holy Weeks with her father in Andalusia. Earlier this year, she and her fianc\u00e9 made a trip to Spain as a prelude to their \u201cI do.”<\/p>\n

\"Antonio\u00a9 Michael KovacAntonio Banderas and Stella del Carmen Banderas <\/p>\n

\n

“I also feel proud to have been a bridge between Spanish cinema and international cinema. And it moves me to see how the new generations of Spanish actors are succeeding all over the world.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Antonio Banderas<\/p>\n

\u201cMy family, especially my daughter, plays an essential role in helping me understand my place in the world,\u201d Banderas recently shared.<\/p>\n

The man who once charmed Hollywood as Zorro continues to play many roles: actor, father, soon-to-be father-in-law, partner, ex-husband, entrepreneur, and tireless champion of the arts. \u201cI still have characters to play and stories to tell,\u201d he says without hesitation.<\/p>\n

\"Antonio\u00a9 Carlos AlvarezAntonio Banderas and Stella<\/p>\n

Life has taken him away from M\u00e1laga and brought him back again. \u201cMy passion for theater, which I\u2019ve reignited with the Soho CaixaBank Theater, is a return to my roots,\u201d he explains. \u201cAt the end of the day, what matters most is the live connection with the audience, the magic of being here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Antonio\u00a9 Europa Press NewsAntonio Banderas with actor Richard Gere at the 39th edition of the Goya Awards in Granada, Andalusia, Spain<\/p>\n

Now at 65, with his daughter\u2019s wedding on the horizon, he\u2019s reflective yet energized, \u201cI\u2019m proud to have been a bridge between Spanish cinema and the international film world. It moves me to see a new generation of Spanish actors thriving worldwide. Talent knows no borders.\u201d<\/p>\n

And he\u2019s been proving that since the \u201990s. Time has passed, but his spark is as bright as ever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Once upon a time, on August 10, 1960, a boy was born in M\u00e1laga, Spain. At home, they…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":340140,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5312],"tags":[13487,4080,1765,44005,51092,2000,299,104,121232],"class_list":{"0":"post-340139","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-antonio-banderas","9":"tag-celebrities","10":"tag-celebrity-kids","11":"tag-celebrity-parents","12":"tag-celebrity-weddings","13":"tag-eu","14":"tag-europe","15":"tag-spain","16":"tag-stella-banderas"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115019365235809500","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=340139"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340139\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/340140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=340139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=340139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=340139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}