Melanie Griffith files to divorce Antonio Bandera after 18 years of marriage

6/6/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Griffith-Banderas-Divorce-L-A

    Melanie Griffith filed for divorce from Antonio Banderas today in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the end of their 18-year marriage.

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • Melanie Griffith filed for divorce from Antonio Banderas today in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the end of their 18-year marriage.
    Melanie Griffith filed for divorce from Antonio Banderas today in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the end of their 18-year marriage.

    LOS ANGELES — Melanie Griffith filed for divorce today from Antonio Banderas, her husband of 18 years.

    For years they were among Hollywood’s hottest couples, with Banderas publicly supporting his wife’s treatments for addiction and both supporting charitable causes.

    Griffith cited irreconcilable differences in the court filing in Los Angeles. The actors were married in 1996 and have a 17-year-old daughter together.

    Griffith, 56, is seeking spousal support but is willing to pay her own attorney fees, her filing shows.

    Griffith, who has a tattoo of Banderas’ first name in a heart on her right shoulder, signed the divorce petition on May 30 but did not specify the date of their separation.

    They first worked together on the set of the 1995 romantic comedy “Two Much,” Banderas, 53, later directed his wife in the 1999 film “Crazy in Alabama.”

    In 2011, the couple hosted a fundraiser for President Barack Obama at their Los Angeles home.

    Griffith has been married four times, including twice to actor Don Johnson. Banderas has one previous marriage.

    Banderas in recent years has served as the voice of the animated character Puss in Boots in the “Shrek” films and starred in Pedro Almodovar’s two most recent films, “The Skin I Live In” and “I’m So Excited!”

    Griffith was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the 1998 film “Working Girl.” She has recently turned to television work, guest-starring in “Hawaii Five-0,” ‘‘Hot in Cleveland” and “Raising Hope.” In 2003, she won praise for her role in the Broadway revival of “Chicago.”

    An email sent to the couple’s publicist, Robin Baum, was not immediately returned.