Antonio Banderas Explains Why He’s Happier After Hollywood Exit

Antonio Banderas is opening up about the life change that brought him a new sense of happiness. The actor, who left Los Angeles in 2017, has embraced a new life in Spain focused on personal fulfillment. For Banderas, the move marked the beginning of a much more rewarding chapter in his life.

Why Did The Actor Move Back To Spain?

Banderas left Hollywood life and moved back to Spain, specifically his hometown of Málaga, in 2017. His decision was prompted by a health scare that changed his perspective on life, as he told The Times in an interview published on March 25.

According to the 65-year-old actor, his heart attack was the best thing that happened to him, adding, “Seriously. Mine was a really serious warning. It changed the way I look at life.” Before his move, he was living in the U.S. and the U.K. After surviving his heart attack, he quit smoking, got rid of his private jet, and decided to move back to Málaga.

In 2023, Banderas shared his thoughts after the health scare, saying, “Since my heart attack, I’m looking only for the pleasure of acting. That’s it. I don’t care about anything else. For me, life starts when somebody says, ‘Action!’ – or when the curtain comes up.”

Antonio Banderas’ 2017 Heart Attack

In March 2017, while attending a film festival in Málaga, Banderas shared that he suffered a heart attack in January that year while he was exercising. The actor said he felt “very lucky” to have survived.

“I underwent an operation where they implanted three stents in my coronary arteries,” Banderas shared. In addition, he said he also had an arrhythmia, wherein the heart doesn’t beat regularly, and had to undergo a thermoablation as well. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Banderas said what he experienced “wasn’t as dramatic” as what was reported in the news.

The actor said his heart attack was the result of the “real beating” his body had taken after spending decades as a workaholic in the entertainment industry. Fortunately, Banderas’ heart attack caused no lasting damage.

Antonio Banderas’ Greatest Passion Is Theater

After moving to Málaga, Banderas purchased a run-down theater. “Faced with death, it made me look back and realise that I am, in fact, a theatre actor,” he told The Times. While known for his work in movies, Banderas also acted on Broadway, earning a Tony Best Actor in a Musical nomination in 2003 for his portrayal of Guido Contini in “Nine.”

“The opportunity arose to buy this venue, a former cinema, which was in a state of disrepair and full of asbestos. It was awful. So I cleared it out and built it inside its shell,” he explained.

Banderas rebuilt the theater and said that he has “never been so happy” now that he is working on his true passion. Teatro del Soho, an 840-seater state-of-the-art theater, opened its doors in 2019 and has since hosted numerous performances and events.

The Actor’s Theater Is Non-Profit

Banderas’ mission for building the theater was to give back to the community of Málaga through the arts and promote cultural growth in his hometown. The theater is a non-profit venture and funded by businesses and private investors, including Banderas himself.

In January, Banderas shared that he lost money in some productions, but that didn’t stop him from working on his passion. “We don’t work for money either. We lost money with ‘Company’ and ‘Gipsy’,” he noted.

“We filled the theater to not lose much. But they can’t take away the dance from me. I did what I wanted, how I wanted to do it, and with the perfect people. How can that be a failure? The pursuit of excellence is an end in itself,” he explained.

Antonio Banderas’ Love For Theater Came Early

Elsewhere in the interview with The Times, Banderas said that he started watching musicals when he was a young boy, as his parents were “great theatre enthusiasts.” He recalled watching shows with his parents in the ’70s at a time when his country was under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. “Against all odds, musicals were premiering in Spain that brought a different kind of modernity to the stage,” the actor said.

Banderas gained worldwide recognition after starring in movies including “The Mambo Kings,” “Philadelphia,” “Interview with the Vampire,” and “The Mask of Zorro.” After working for decades in Hollywood, Banderas has come full circle, returning to the craft that gives him the greatest joy.