Both on screen and off, Antonio Banderas has shown himself worthy of the title of hero. He made his debut in the 1980s and has since established himself in the entertainment industry in Spain in the roles of actor, director, producer, and singer.

The film “Evita” from 1996, “The Mask of Zorro” from 1998, the “Spy Kids” series, and his part as Puss in Boots in the “Shrek” franchise and spin-off films are some of the most famous roles that Antonio Banderas has played in his career.

After landing a part in the highly acclaimed film “The Mambo Kings” in 1992, he went on to achieve new heights with his performance in the film “Philadelphia” in 1993, in which he co-starred with Tom Hanks. Both Madonna and Antonio Banderas had significant parts in the film adaption of the musical “Evita,” which was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The film also starred Madonna.

After becoming married in the late 1980s to Ana Leza, the Spanish actor finally got a divorce from her in 1996. During filming of the movie “Two Much,” which took place around the same period, he went on to marry his co-star Melanie Griffith.

Griffith had been married to Don Johnson and Steven Bauer in the past, and during both marriages she had already given birth to a number of children, including Dakota and Alexander.

The moment Banderas became Dakota’s stepfather, he brought about a sea shift in her life that was unquestionably for the better. During the difficult moments, he was there to support her. More significantly, the two have shown that being connected to one another is not a prerequisite for being a member of the same family.

The couple separated in 2015, claiming “irreconcilable disagreements” as the basis for their split, although they assured everyone that it was done “in a loving and pleasant way.” Nonetheless, the divorce took place in 2015.

Banderas was often referred to by Dakota as his “bonus dad,” and Dakota did so on several occasions. Even when Banderas finished the divorce he had been going through with Griffith, the closeness that the two had as father and daughter remained unbroken.

On the set of “Two Much,” which also included Griffith in the role of Banderas’ leading lady, the actor Antonio Banderas had the opportunity to meet the woman who would later become his second wife, Melanie Griffith. In the end, they were able to find common ground and tied the knot in London, England, in May of 1996.

Banderas sent a warm welcome to Griffith, who is already the proud parent to Dakota and Alexander. In the end, Griffith and Banderas chose to have their child, Stella, within the same calendar year.

As Banderas integrated himself into the family dynamic, his stepchildren gradually grew to see him in the same light as a biological parent. According to an article published in People Magazine, they even gave him a lovely nickname: “Paponio,” which is a combination of the names “Papi” and “Antonio.”

But in 2015, Banderas and Griffith finalized their separation, bringing an end to their 20-year marriage. In spite of this obstacle, the actor maintained his strong relationships with his stepchildren, particularly Dakota.

Dakota has not been shy about sharing his adoration and affection for Banderas on a number of times. Dakota was the one to hand Antonio Banderas the Best Actor trophy at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards, which he won for his performance in “Pain and Glory.”

“I was really fortunate to be born into a family with a long history of marriages. I was blessed with a second father, and as time went on, I discovered that he is really one of the persons who has had the biggest impact on me throughout my whole life “Dakota acknowledged.

“When I was six years old, my mother married a guy who brought into our family an astonishingly brilliant light, a whole new universe of inventiveness and culture, and one astonishingly lovely little sister.”

Dakota was overjoyed to be in the position to bestow this honor onto his stepfather, and she used this opportunity to reflect on how the actor had instilled in her many important life lessons as well as acting techniques.

“Antonio instilled in me the importance of sincere enthusiasm in addition to discipline. He would spend hours, and even days, in his office attempting to get to the core of something he had grown interested in, or a job he was preparing for, and he would do this in an attempt to: “She was ecstatic.

Dakota was able to uncover the fact that she genuinely have skill in acting because of Banderas. Dakota made her acting debut in the 1999 film “Crazy in Alabama,” which was directed by Banderas and featured by Griffith. Although she only had a few lines in the film, she was so determined to do it perfect that she even hired an acting instructor to run her lines with.

According to Entertainment Online, this was not the first time that Dakota had the opportunity to spend quality time with his father while he was working. Banderas was collaborating with Madonna on the production of “Evita” at the same time that the actress was delivering an Easter basket to the pop star.

“Since she is my daughter, naturally I adore her. I’ve carried her on my shoulders while exploring every corner of the globe “Banderas warmly reflected on the time spent with her step-daughter, whom he regards as an extension of his own family despite the legalities of their relationship.

Despite the fact that he is no longer with the actress, Banderas places a high value on the connection he had with Griffith and the family they created together with their mixed children.

According to Vulture, he has been quoted as saying, “I recall those years as being incredibly effervescent and very wonderful.”

“Melanie and I are no longer married, but she is still a member of my family. She is almost certainly the best friend that I have, if not the best friend that I have altogether. There are members of my family there, including Alexander, Dakota, and tiny Estella.”

Since Banderas’s divorce from Griffith, he has been in a happy relationship with his girlfriend, Nicole Kimpel, demonstrating that love can overcome a variety of obstacles, including physical distance, social conventions, and emotional strain.

The pair just celebrated their eight-year anniversary in May 2022, and Banderas shared in an Instagram post that they are “enjoying every second of it.”

When questioned about their plans for the future, the actor responded in 2015 to a question posed by Toronto.com by saying that they do not have any plans for a wedding or children since he need the security that his relationship with Kimpel provides.