Melanie Griffith's recent admission to a rehab clinic isn't something husband Antonio Banderas is going to sweep under the rug.
"It's not a rumor, but let me explain to you," Banderas, 49, tells Ellen DeGeneres in an interview which aired on Wednesday's The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
"It was said actually in some magazine that I said that I gave an ultimatum to my wife. That I present the matter of divorce because she has been involved in addictions and blah, blah, blah," says the actor. "Melanie has been addicted for many years and we always came out. We said it out loud. It was okay, we were never embarrassed of the situation but what happened she was clean and sober for six years."
But six years of clean living was endangered after Griffith, 52, had a skiing accident in Aspen, Co., a year and a half ago. Three operations in her knee required her to use narcotics – and come face-to-face with her demons again.
"In March, she came to me and said, 'I'm feeling a little bit weak in my determination for this ... so I just thought to go to rehabilitation by myself,' " Banderas said. "So the whole entire family is supporting her, and I am supporting her, and at this particular time more than ever. I'm very proud of her."
More than that, the entire family is actively participating in Griffith's rehab program.
"We have been following some type of therapy with other families," he said. "There are a number of invisible heroes working in AA all around the world. I just say to families, 'Don't get embarrassed, just confront this problem head-on. And don't hide from that because there is a beautiful gift at the end of this tunnel, and it is the person that you love back, and that is what I am searching for.' "
He added, "I am very proud of my wife."
Antonio Banderas is set to return to the stage for a new production of Zorba The Greek.
The Spaniard is set to tackle the title role, which late great actor Anthony Quinn made his own in 1964.
The Mask of Zorro star says, "I want to go back to theatre because it is my main source, I'm more a theatre actor than a film actor."
Banderas, who was honored with the President's Prize at Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic at the weekend, won acclaim on Broadway as the lead star of musical Nine.
PopWrap has interviewed Antonio Banderas about his career. Banderas recalls that when he was in Law of Desire, kissing a man was more frowned upon than killing one. Likely still true today.
Said Banderas: "Everything changes as you get older - your mind, your body, the way you view the world. For example the scenes I did with [director Pedro] Almodovar in the 80's were very tough to play at the time it was not common for actors to play gay. Many actors thought that if you played those scenes, everybody would identify you with that role...I felt very early on in my professional life that where there were limits, there shouldn't have been limits. I remember in 'Law of Desire,' where I played a homosexual, that people were more upset that I kissed a man on the mouth than I killed a man. It's interesting to see how people can pardon you for murdering a man, but they can't pardon you for kissing one. It's a very interesting approach to morality in our days, so you see there is an incredible amount of hypocritical judgment over those things."
Antonio Banderas has joined the ranks of wining stars after taking a stake in a vineyard in his native Spain.
The actor is the new co-owner of the renamed Anta Banderas winery at Duero River in northern Spain. The vineyard specialises in red and rose wines and excels in Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons.
Other stars who have turned their love of wine into sideline careers include moviemaker Francis Ford Coppola, Kyle MacLachlan, British singer Cliff Richard and French star Gerard Depardieu.
Melanie Griffith's recent admission to a rehab clinic isn't something husband Antonio Banderas is going to sweep under the rug.
