The actor gave up the lavish Hollywood lifestyle for almost 10 years, returning to his homeland, Spain.
Antonio Banderas returned to his hometown of Málaga in 2017. The 65-year-old actor revealed that he had suffered a heart attack and was forced to move. Before his serious health problems, Banderas split his time between the US and the UK and owned a mansion in Cobham, Surrey.
“My heart attack was a very serious warning for me,” he said in an interview with the Times newspaper published on Wednesday. “It changed my outlook on life.”
Banderas joked about his career that he was told that, as a Spaniard, he could only play “bad guys” in films. But he proved them wrong with his performance in 1998’s “The Mask of Zorro.”
“The problem was, a few years after ‘Assassins,’ I had a mask, hat, sword, and cape, and the villain turned out to be Captain Harrison Love—blond with blue eyes,” he said. “‘Puss in Boots’ is even more important because it’s for little kids. They see a cat with an Andalusian accent, and he’s a good guy.”
Back in Málaga, Banderas embraced a quieter pace of life, focusing on personal well-being and reconnecting with his roots. He invested in local cultural projects, supported the city’s theater scene, and even took to the stage himself, rediscovering the passion for performance that first inspired his career. The move allowed him to prioritize family, health, and creativity, away from the relentless demands of Hollywood. By stepping back, he found a renewed sense of purpose that extended beyond film sets and red carpets.
Today, the actor says the experience reshaped his definition of success. Rather than chasing constant roles, he values meaningful work and the ability to give back to the place that shaped him. His journey serves as a reminder that even global stars sometimes need to pause, reassess, and return home. For Banderas, that decision not only changed his lifestyle — it gave him a fresh perspective on life, career, and what truly matters.
