One
thing that never fit the media's spin on Antonio's and Melanie's
relationship as a hot affair quickly to burn out was Antonio's
close relationship with Melanie's children. It apparently did
not take long for mutual affection to develop between Alexander
and Dakota on one hand and their mother's new beau on the other.
As Melanie described the situation to Ladies Home Journal: "They
were tough on him, but they pretty much loved him right away.
For being so macho, he's a kindhearted person."
Little
publicized was the fact that the children accompanied Melanie
with Antonio to Puerto Rico while he was filming Assassins. By
October, 1995, Antonio was ready to be entrusted as sole guardian
of Alexander in London. (Alex preceded Melanie who was still filming
Lolita in North Carolina). Alex and Antonio were seen at Harrod's
buying toys. Tan Solo un Actor said that the temporary guardian
was planning to take Alex roller skating at Hyde Park. Melanie
said of this period of male bonding: "Antonio spent nine
days, taking him on all the double-decker buses and to all the
museums. It meant so much to Alexander." [LHJ, Sept. 96]
The Christmas holiday, 1995 saw not only the children but Melanie's
mother Tippie Hedren and even her father Peter Griffith celebrating
the holidays in Spain with Antonio's family. Ana Bandera was later
to say that she considered Melanie's children as her own grandchildren.
Antonio
had always been crazy about kids. He is the godfather of his brother
Chico's three-year old child, Javier
(a second son was born to Chico's wife on May 2, 1996) . While
married to Ana Leza, he spoke of their having two children, one
of their own and another adopted perhaps from a Third World country
such as Somalia. But other priorities got in their way and children
were postponed. Another aspect that interfered with the prospect
for a family life was his lack of roots. His life was that of
a gypsy. When with Ana, he said he didn't want to put a child
through that. But he has obviously changed his mind about this
as his young daughter is quite the world traveler. "Our child
will be a wanderer just like we are," Antonio said at the
Miami press conference to promote Two Much.
Antonio's
love for Melanie's kids was already apparent in November, 1995
interview with Hello! .
When he fell in love with Melanie he had a ready-made family --
Melanie's daughter Dakota Mayi Johnson (born October 1989, father
-- Don Johnson) and son Alexander Bauer (born late August, 1985,
father - Steven Bauer. While Antonio still has to travel a lot,
he has set up roots in both the house he purchased from Michelle
Pfeiffer in Brentwood
(Los Angeles) and in Spain, a lovely house in the Monteros section
of Marbella which he is renting while in negotiations for purchase.
From
GQ: We talk about Alexander, 10, and Dakota, 6-Melanie's kids,
whose difficulties during the latest breakup of their mother's
marriage were greatly assuaged by their affection for Banderas.
"It was hard at the beginning," Antonio: "We had
to talk--mostly with Alexander. He's more conscious about everything
that is happening. So I really talked to him. I said, 'We have
to put all the ghosts that you have inside on the table. Tell
me exactly what you think, and don't think I'm gonna get mad at
you. I want to try to understand everything that's happening in
your mind. Because I've been a kid, too, and I know how painful
it is sometimes.' And now it's gorgeous when I'm sitting down
here and he jumps on me and puts his head here" on his shoulder.
"He looks for me, he counts on me, and he calls me and says,
'Antonio, I need you.' Awww," Banderas moans, "I love
that."
And
Alexander even looks after Antonio sometimes.
When
Banderas is mangling some American expression and Dakota complains,
"I didn't understand a word!" Alexander says, "Don't
say that. He's from Spain--he's trying ! " Melanie locates
some recent photographs of them frolicking on the beach-Antonio
in red trunks and a bandanna, with the kids, building castles
in the sand. [GQ -1995]
AND THEN CAME STELLA
September 25,1995
Little
Stella was no accident. Antonio in November, 1995 spoke to Hello!
about the possibility of having a child the next year. Melanie
confirmed in InStyle that the baby was planned. She had even told
her children that she and Antonio were going to "try"
to make a baby.
How
important was it for you to marry Melanie and have a child?
Antonio: "First we decided that our love was real and permanent,
and then we said there should be nothing to stop us from making
a family together. Having a child is incredible and I can't explain
how much love I feel for her and Melanie. Estella del Carmen is
a beautiful baby. Being a father is something every man needs
to experience, and it has brought Melanie and I even closer."[OK]
Antonio:
"The birth and everything else, it was fun. It was like a
party; it was beautiful." [Entertainment Tonight]
It
might sound like Antonio is trivializing the pain of childbirth,
but Melanie's sentiments were similar: "Antonio wanted to
have a baby just like everyone else, so we did," she says.
"I was laughing when I was pushing, and he was just in awe.
And when he came over holding this tiny baby, it was probably
the most beautiful moment of my life." [LHJ]
Does
Stella have a dad that changes her diapers, gives her a bath,
and feeds her? Antonio: I do all those things. Yes, I do. I share
those responsibilities with Melanie obviously. [Entertainment
Tonight - Dec., 1996]-
Would
you allow your child to become an actor?
Antonio: Of course, I mean I will be there for my daughter. What
I wanted for her is just to be free and to be healthy. And she
was born in a free country and she's healthy. And now she has
to decide what she wants to be. I'll be there just in case she
falls down just, I'll pick her up, but I don't want to drive her
in any direction. I think that's wrong, because it's like you're
trying to fulfill your expectancy in life through your daughter
and that's not fair. I think she has to have the opportunity to
crush [crash] and to have many hits from life and learn in that
way. But I'll be there always, that's for sure. [CBS This Morning]
Banderas
recalls the moment he first spied his daughter's head, her neck
wrapped thrice with her umbilical chord. His voice drops to its
lowest setting.
"The first feeling I had was one I've never had for anyone,
not for my family or wife or girlfriend or brother. I knew immediately
that I could kill for someone, and that was my baby. It was automatic.
I still have that feeling in my mouth. I think every father in
the world can feel as I felt." [USA Today]
-How
about your fatherhood?
Antonio:-It's been great for me. The girl is beautiful, healthy
and has born in a free country, and those are the most important
things for me. There are two more kids in the family, Melanie's
children, and I also consider myself their father because they
live with me, so I'm the responsible for them and their education.
We all form a family, and we want to live as such. [Man (Spanish
magazine)]
There
has been much speculation in 1997 about Melanie being pregnant
again. This gossip has been denied by Antonio. However, Melanie
in Ladies Home Journal admitted, ""I might try to get
pregnant at the end of this year," she says. "It would
be great to have two little ones." |
