Antonio Banderas and Dakota Johnson: A Stepfather-Daughter Bond That Endures
Antonio Banderas’ Stepdaughter Dakota Johnson Still Calls Him ‘Papi’ despite His Split with Her Mom
Antonio Banderas, an inexperienced 35-year-old, unexpectedly found himself the father of ten- and six-year-old children. He has a very different life now, but he is still related to them after all these years.
The actor Antonio Banderas, who wed a woman with two small children, acknowledged that, as a novice, it was unsettling to enter into a virtuous household of three.
Melanie Griffith, an actress and actor from Spain, met while she was still married to someone else. At the time, Griffith was the twice-married wife of actor Don Johnson; nevertheless, the two of them filed for divorce in 1994.
Later on, she developed feelings for Banderas, who was her co-star in the 1995 romantic comedy “Two Much.” Despite their separation at the time, Banderas was still married to the actress Ana Leza, his first wife.
May 14, 1996, in London, was their second wedding; it took place a month after the couple’s divorce was finalized. When asked what drew him to Griffith, Banderas replied that he had “admired Melanie” for a long time prior to their meeting.
When Banderas first saw Griffith, it was in the 1988 film “Working Girl,” and he was struck by how stunning she was. “Wow, she’s so beautiful, so special,” he said. Later, he saw her on the red carpet at the Oscars, but he couldn’t remember her name.
He remembered a Spanish film director saying to him, “You idiot, this is Melanie Griffith! Tonight, she is up for an Academy Award nomination! After six years, we tie the knot!” When questioned about how their professional relationship evolved into a romantic one while appearing in “Two Much,” Banderas said they were “unhappy” in their respective marriages.
“It’s just the way things go—they don’t always work out. However, we acknowledged that we were not happy. The native of Spain remarked, “I saw her with her kids, and she was so beautiful as a mom.”
While it is common for co-stars to bond during filming and for most people to break up their relationships later, Banderas clarified that he and Griffith are an exception to this rule.
They communicated often till they eventually acknowledged their affections for one another. He mentioned something that “was not easy” to do. The “Frida” actress had two small children from her previous marriages when she wed the Golden Globe winner.
After marrying actor Steven Bauer in 1981 and divorcing him in 1989, Griffith had her first child, a son named Alexander. She and Johnson welcomed their first child, Dakota, who she was married to from 1976 to 1976 and from 1989 to 1996.
Banderas Became Griffith’s Children’s “Inexperienced” Stepfather
Banderas admitted that it was difficult to adjust to his new role as Griffin’s stepfather to his daughter and son as he had to reassure the kids that he would be sticking around. The youngsters had to accept him, he explained, and it was difficult because he was “totally inexperienced.”
Abruptly, he was taking care of a boy, age 10, and a girl, age 6. He added that the children needed a stable atmosphere where they could develop, but that once they understood he was here for the long run, they were great.
After realizing this, the “Spy Kids” actor started “establishing my relationship, giving them security, little by little doing the father thing.” In response to a question about how long it took to calm the kids down, Banderas revealed that “it took less than a year” for his stepchildren “to realize that I was not temporary.”
Stella, his daughter, was born soon after, and he was still trying to persuade Dakota and Alexander to warm up to him, so it became too much.
Banderas Had a Significant Impact on the Career of His Stepdaughter
Banderas’ efforts to strengthen his relationship with his stepchildren paid off, as he went on to play a significant role in Dakota’s acting career. Alongside her mother, the “Fifty Shades of Grey” actress made her acting début in 1999 in her stepfather’s feature film debut, “Crazy in Alabama”. Sondra was played by Dakota in the movie.
She cherished her memories of giving pop singer Madonna an Easter basket while shooting “Evita” in Budapest in 1996, and she cherished spending time with Banderas on set as a small child.
Such memories are also precious to Banderas, who once declared his love for her, referring to her as his daughter. He thought back to the times they spent traveling the world together with her perched atop his shoulders.
Banderas also shared Dakota’s cute little nickname for him, which combines his name with the Spanish term “daddy.” He clarified that Dakota referred to him as Paponio, which is a combination of the Spanish words for “papa” and “Antonio,” making him her Antonio papa.
After 18 years of marriage, Banderas and Dakota’s mother regrettably filed for divorce in June 2014. They announced in a joint statement that they had mutually chosen to dissolve their nearly two decades-long marriage after careful consideration.
They gave a kind and cordial explanation of proper partying, emphasizing the importance of honoring and respecting one another, their loved ones, and the wonderful time they had shared. Griffith stated that their breakup was due to irreconcilable disagreements, and the former couple had a cordial split.
Dakota and Her Stepfather Continue to Have a Warm Relationship
Many years later, Dakota gave a moving speech to present Banderas with the Best Actor Award at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards. She started crying as she talked warmly about her stepfather, calling him by the nickname she had given him as a child.
Dakota revealed that she was born into a family of multimarried parents and considered herself extremely fortunate to have acquired a bonus father who eventually rose to prominence in her life.
As well as sharing his sense of “creativity and culture” with them, the Texas native claimed that Banderas made a positive impact on their lives and brought “one remarkably magical little sister into our family.”
Dakota said that Antonio Banderas, her stepfather, had sprung into their life with laughter, enthusiasm, and vibrant energy. She thought back to his abstract English, which everyone thought was fascinating. Dakota said that Banderas’s unwavering devotion for her mother, herself, and her siblings transformed their life irrevocably.
Banderas dedicated the medal in his victory speech to Dakota and two other people he loved, saying that she had always called him “Papi,” a moniker he treasures. The loving stepfather told E! News Online after the ceremony that he was unaware Dakota would give such a touching speech in his honor.
He revealed that although he was aware that she was scheduled to deliver the speech, he was unaware of the nature of her emotional homage because she had not disclosed it to him beforehand.
In addition to bringing back all the memories he made with his blended family, the proud father claimed that “it was a confirmation” that his time with Griffith was “about the family” and not just about them. Every one of them was worthwhile.”
While promoting “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,” an animated picture that was scheduled to open the same weekend as Dakota’s “Fifty Shades of Grey” film, Banderas praised Dakota’s acting prowess in February 2015.
himself stressed that while his stepdaughter and himself had different moviegoers, there was “no competition” between them. “I wish Dakota the best, not only because of this movie,” he said, adding that he and the rest of the family—including her real father—were aware of Dakota’s exceptional acting ability.
Banderas went on to say that Dakota would have a successful career due of her versatility in playing many roles. She’s great at comedy, as seen in the television show “Ben & Kate,” and drama, as seen in the film, he added. He mentioned that he knew Dakota would seize the “opportunity” and run with it, saying it was a window of time.
Even after splitting up, Banderas and his stepdaughter Dakota have remained close. The Spanish actor recently uploaded a post with a number of images showing their quality time together, which clearly shows how close they are.
Banderas simply captioned one of the photos, which showed Dakota and him having fun together, “Happiness: Dakota in Malaga!” This suggests that they were relishing their time spent together.
The actor and his gifted stepdaughter are shown in another photograph sitting with anonymous individuals and posing for photos, which highlights their ongoing and loving bond.
