Antonio Banderas Celebrates Daughter Stella’s Wedding
Antonio Banderas is overjoyed for his daughter Stella Banderas after she wed Alex Gruszynski in Spain.
At the wedding venue, the Abadía Retuerta estate in Valladolid, Spain, on Saturday, October 18, Antonio, 65, was seen giving a toast to Stella, 29. (Stella is the daughter of Antonio and ex-wife Melanie Griffith. Additionally, he is a stepfather to Griffith’s son Alexander Bauer, from her former marriage to Steven Bauer, and daughter Dakota Johnson, from her marriage to Don Johnson.)
Just two days following the wedding festivities, Antonio took to social media to post a heartfelt tribute to Stella to commemorate her significant day.
“The wedding of my daughter Stella has been a beautiful family reunion filled with emotion, joy, and laughter,” Antonio shared via Instagram on Monday, October 20, alongside a collection of photos showcasing their bond over the years. “Thanks to everyone who made this possible.”
Stella revealed her engagement to her childhood sweetheart, Gruszynski, in August 2024.
“I get to hang out with my favorite person on earth forever!!!!!!!! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍,” she posted on Instagram, featuring throwback images of the couple as kids at the Wagon Wheel School.
Following their engagement announcement, Antonio expressed his excitement for the happy couple.
“I feel great! She’s happy, I’m happy,” he told People in September 2024. “He’s awesome. I’ve known him since he was a little kid.”
Antonio, who was married to Ana Leza from 1987 to 1996, wed Griffith, 68, in May 1996 after meeting on the set of Too Much a year earlier. They welcomed Stella in September 1996 and later divorced in 2014.
“We have thoughtfully and consensually decided to finalize our nearly 20-year marriage in a loving and friendly manner, honoring and respecting each other, our family, friends, and the beautiful moments we shared together,” they shared in a joint statement to Us Weekly in June 2014.
Later that year, Antonio began a relationship with investment banker Nicole Kimpel, and the couple has remained strong ever since.
Despite their separation, Griffith and Antonio maintain a close bond.
“I’m no longer married to Melanie, but she is still my family,” Antonio stated in a January 2020 interview with People. “She’s probably one of my best friends, if not my best friend. My family includes Dakota, little Estella, and Alexander.”
Griffith later reflected on her marriage to Antonio in an April 2023 Instagram post.
“El Cautivo ♥️🙏🏻♥️During the 19 years I was married to Antonio, one of the many extraordinary experiences he introduced to me and the kids was the love for Semana Santa. Holy Week,” she wrote at the time. “It is a very old tradition that is incredibly beautiful. Throughout Holy Week, over a hundred thrones representing Christ and the Virgin Mary are carried through the streets of Malaga every day and night from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. It’s a magical and mystical week.”
Griffith noted that “many people follow behind” the thrones on their sometimes 8-hour long journey.
“When I first saw Cautivo, I was moved to tears. I consider it a spiritual experience. He is magnificent,” she expressed. “He represents the captured Christ on his way to the cross. For many years, I was privileged to be one of the 30,000 people who followed him on his journey through the city. Sending love to my family and friends in Spain. Viva Cautivo! Viva Espana! Gracias y amor @antoniobanderas ⭐️.”
