Antonio Banderas

Born in Málaga, Spain in 1960, a rich thread of musical expression runs through the multi-decade career of Antonio Banderas. A prolific performer, he is primarily known for his acting and voice work but has also directed for both stage and screen. Madonna left the door to Hollywood open for Banderas when he appeared in her 1991 documentary film, Truth or Dare (aka In Bed with Madonna.) From there, many saw him wield a guitar in both Robert Rodriguez's 1995 film Desperado, and its 2003 sequel, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He voiced Puss in Boots from 2004's Shrek 2 onwards, often delivering lead vocals to key songs on soundtracks from the franchise. Next, in a mid- to late career move, he realized a dream by opening Teatro del Soho CaixaBank in Málaga. Banderas then starred in and co-directed Spanish-language productions of musicals at the venue, including Marvin Hamlisch's A Chorus Line (2019) and Stephen Sondheim's Company (2022).