The 65-year-old actor explained why he gave up his private jet and mansion. Antonio Banderas spoke about the dramatic changes in his life nine years after his heart attack.
In 2017, the actor experienced a sudden, severe chest pain during a workout. Antonio Banderas was rushed to the hospital. It turned out he had suffered a heart attack at age 58. Now, at 65, the Hollywood actor says his life has changed completely since this “real, serious warning.”
A heart attack he suffered became a turning point for him, forcing him to radically reassess his life’s priorities. The “Bad Girl” actor stated that he “came face to face with death,” after which he realized what was truly important.
Antonio focused on his health, quitting smoking and other unhealthy habits. Banderas also sold his mansion in the UK, his home in the US, and his private jet to return to his native Málaga. In the Spanish city, he settled into a central apartment with his 43-year-old girlfriend, Nicole Kimpel. It was she who saved the artist’s life in 2017, when she promptly administered medication to him during a seizure.
Banderas is enjoying life in a cozy apartment in Málaga. “They call me Jose Hollywood here,” the actor said with a smile. He assured that he’s “never felt happier.”
Antonio also gave up his Hollywood career and film acting to focus on a theater project, the Daily Mail notes. “In the face of death, I looked back and realized that I am, first and foremost, a theater actor,” the Cannes Film Festival award winner stated.
The Teatro del Soho is funded by sponsorships. The Oscar nominee himself contributed €200,000 to the development of his non-profit project. Rare film roles help the actor cover the costs of his new life.
Last October, the artist’s 29-year-old daughter, Stella Banderas Griffith, and her longtime boyfriend, Alex Grushinsky, married. They chose sunny Spain for their wedding.
The event was shrouded in secrecy : the couple imposed a strict ban on cell phones for guests, and staff were required to sign non-disclosure agreements. Around 200 guests attended the wedding. Among the guests, of course, were Melanie Griffith, as well as Stella’s maternal sister Dakota Johnson, her grandmother, and other relatives.
