Antonio Banderas: Health, Relationships & Career in 2025

A heart attack in 2017 and a divorce from Melanie Griffith reshaped Antonio Banderas’ life, leading him to a quieter existence in Málaga, Spain. Here is where the Spanish actor stands now on his health, relationships, and career.

Age: 64 (born 10 August 1960) ·
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.76 m) ·
Nationality: Spanish ·
Net worth: $50 million (estimated) ·
Notable awards: Goya Award, Cannes Film Festival Award

Eight biographical markers, one recurring theme: a life reshaped after 2017.

What is Antonio Banderas’ illness?

What caused Antonio Banderas’ heart attack?

In January 2017, Antonio Banderas suffered a heart attack at his home in London. The actor later revealed that his partner, Nicole Kimpel, saved his life by placing aspirin under his tongue as symptoms began (People (entertainment news magazine)). He told Jimmy Kimmel in 2019 that Kimpel’s quick thinking was critical (People). Banderas later underwent surgery and received three stents in his arteries (HuffPost (news and opinion platform)).

How did Antonio Banderas recover from his heart attack?

Banderas described the heart attack as a “second chance” and made significant lifestyle changes. He quit smoking, sold his private jet, and moved back to his hometown of Málaga, Spain (HuffPost). In a 2019 interview with NPR, he said a nurse told him the heart is a “warehouse for feelings,” and the event made him cry more easily (NPR (public radio news)).

The implication: the heart attack reshaped both his health habits and his emotional life, deepening his acting performances in films like Pain and Glory.

Who is Antonio Banderas with now?

Who is Antonio Banderas’ current partner?

Antonio Banderas has been in a long-term relationship with Nicole Kimpel since 2014. Kimpel is a model, business owner, and financial expert (People (entertainment news magazine)). The couple first met at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014 while Banderas was still separated from Melanie Griffith. Banderas has clarified that Kimpel was not the reason for his divorce; they only began dating after he signed the divorce papers (People).

How long have Antonio Banderas and Nicole Kimpel been together?

As of 2024, the couple had been together for roughly 10 years (South China Morning Post (Hong Kong newspaper)). They live together in Málaga, Spain, though they are not married. Banderas has said he feels “never been so joyful” since recovering from the heart attack and returning to his roots (HuffPost (news and opinion platform)).

The pattern: stability with Kimpel allowed him to rebuild his life after the divorce and health crisis.

What has happened to Antonio Banderas?

What major life changes has Antonio Banderas experienced?

Since his heart attack and divorce, Banderas has undergone a series of profound personal changes. He moved back to Málaga, where he was born, and sold his private jet (HuffPost (news and opinion platform)). He quit smoking and adopted a healthier lifestyle. He also launched his own perfume line, a venture that aligns with his interest in fashion and fragrance (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).

What is Antonio Banderas doing now?

Banderas continues to work steadily in film. He starred in Pain and Glory (2019), for which he earned an Oscar nomination, and voiced Puss in Boots in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022). He also directed and starred in Official Competition (2021) alongside Penélope Cruz. In addition to acting, he is active in theater and philanthropy (Wikipedia).

The catch: despite a quieter personal life, his professional output remains high, with no sign of retirement.

What happened between Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas?

How long were Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith married?

Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith married in 1996 after meeting on the set of Two Much. They separated in 2014 and divorced in 2015. They have one daughter together, Stella Banderas, born in 2000 (People (entertainment news magazine)).

Why did Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith divorce?

The divorce was cited as irreconcilable differences. Both have spoken amicably about the split, with Banderas stating they grew apart. He emphasized that Nicole Kimpel was not the cause of the divorce (People). Griffith also remains on good terms with Banderas, and they have co-parented Stella without public conflict.

Why did Antonio and Melanie split?

Were there any specific reasons for the divorce?

No public infidelity has ever been confirmed. The primary reasons cited were growing apart and lifestyle differences. Banderas told People that his relationship with Kimpel began after the separation was formalized. Griffith, for her part, has not publicly criticized Banderas.

Did Antonio Banderas cheat?

There is no evidence of cheating. The narrative that Kimpel was a “homewrecker” has been denied by Banderas himself (People). The split appears to have been a mutual decision after 18 years of marriage.

The trade-off: both moved on quickly — Banderas with Kimpel, Griffith with her own relationships — and maintained a civil co-parenting relationship.

“It was a wake-up call. I think that if I haven’t had that heart attack, I wouldn’t have been able to do Pain and Glory the way I did it.”

— Antonio Banderas, speaking to People

“A nurse told me that the heart is a warehouse for feelings, and I believe that.”

— Antonio Banderas, in an interview with NPR (public radio news)

For fans of Antonio Banderas, the past eight years have shown a man who faced a health crisis and personal upheaval and emerged with a renewed sense of life. He now lives in Spain with his partner, continues to take on meaningful roles, and has made peace with his past. Banderas’ second chance has become his defining act.

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