INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Antonio Banderas Opens Up About Melanie Griffith Divorce

By Niki Cruz
Published on: 05:07 PST, Jan 21, 2015

Antonio Banderas has kept a relatively low profile since splitting from ex-wife Melanie Griffith. Now, the actor is opening up about their relationship. Despite their rocky relationship, during a recent television appearance on the Spanish show El Hormiguero, Banderas said he still has love for his wife of almost 20 years.

“It’s been an intense year … Life goes on.”

“I admire and respect Melanie first and foremost as a great actress. I have always said that. That’s why she is in the movie. And she’s also the person that I loved, that I love, and will always love.”

Since Banderas’ split from Griffith he was spotted with Nicole Kimpel, a Dutch investment consultant. Although the two seem to be working on their relationship, Banderas says that this is still early days in the relationship.

At the time, he told the Olive Press the following.

“We are in the process of getting to know each other. She is shy and doesn’t have anything to do with my work, which is no[t] [a] bad thing.”

The last time we heard from the actor was back in August. The Inquisitr reported that Banderas was partying it up in Saint-Tropez with a “mystery lady.” It’s not known if said mystery lady was new love Nicole Kimpel.

When the news broke of Antonio and Melanie’s split sources told Us Weekly that it was “a long time coming.” Throughout their marriage, the two couldn’t keep their names out of the tabloids when it came to their rocky relationship.

At the time, their rep made a statement that “they have thoughtfully and consensually decided to finalize our almost 20-year marriage.” The split happened “in a loving and friendly manner honoring and respecting each other, our family, and friends.”

The two were married in 1996 and had a daughter, Stella Banderas, who is 18-years-old.

Currently, Antonio and Melanie are starring in a new Sci-Fi film together called Automata. The film is about an insurance agent of a robotics corporation. Banderas plays an investigator who works on cases when robots violate their protocol against altering themselves.

[Image via Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com]

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