Antonio Banderas rang in his 66th birthday in style, under the sky of Marbella with an opera legend leading the chorus. That was the scene at the 17th annual Starlite Occident Gala, where Banderas rang in his 66th year with his partner, Nicole Kimpel. He was serenaded at midnight by Plácido Domingo himself.
© Getty ImagesThe tenor rose before a crowd already on its feet and led the room through "Happy Birthday," turning a gala tradition into one of the night's most talked-about moments.
Banderas didn't just receive gifts that evening — he gave one away. Earlier in the night, during the gala's charity auction, the actor peeled off the shirt on his back, a piece he'd customized himself, and put it up for bidding to boost the fundraising total.
"This marks 17 galas completing our foundational efforts. We're gonna continue for another 17 years if life allows it," he said.
© Vinnie ZuffanteA career in full bloom
By his own account, Banderas is enjoying this moment in his life. "Yes, I'm happy. Theater is working out. We've also received some great reviews on the film "Tony," which comes out this August 15th in the United States. Everything is going very well," he said, as reported by our sister website HOLA! Spain.
The actor also opened up about the health scare that reshaped his priorities: the heart attack he suffered in 2017. "It was a moment where I realized that I was doing a lot of things I shouldn't be doing, so I cut them off and decided to go back home," he said, referring to his native Malaga.
He described the city as tailor-made for him. "It's the perfect size and the home of my memories. My friends live there, my food is from there, and that's where I want to be," he said. Despite Banderas' decision to settle back in Europe, the move is one that hasn't affected his Hollywood career. He still splits his career evenly between international projects and the work he does in Spain.
© Getty ImagesThe grandfather question
The confession that defined this birthday, though, had nothing to do with box office numbers. It centered on his daughter, Stella Banderas, who married her childhood sweetheart, Alex Gruszynski, in October 2025. Asked whether he's hoping for grandchildren, Banderas didn't hesitate: "I see myself wanting that, yes. The thing is, I don't tell my daughter because I don't want to impact her decisions. I've never done it and I never will," he said.
"I would be a wonderful grandfather," Banderas continued. "I think about it, and it amazes me. It's like a trick of time. So little ago, I came to this gala with Stella as a little girl," he reminisced.
© Getty Images for AFI
