Antonio Banderas maintains a close bond with his ex-wife Melanie Griffith, describing her as one of his best friends more than a decade after their divorce. The Spanish actor told People on Thursday that their continued friendship is a positive influence on their children.
"When I go to Los Angeles, we get together anyway, we have a lot of fun. We laugh and we just… it’s a very healthy thing, and it was very healthy for our kids," Banderas stated. "If [Griffith] is not my best friend, [she is] one of my best friends."
Banderas attributed the success of their amicable post-divorce relationship to the sincerity they shared during their marriage and separation. "The thing is, when we were a couple, when we separated, we were always very sincere," he explained. "We came out of our relationship in a nice way that was very important for [the kids] and for us."
He also expressed admiration for Griffith as a mother, calling her "an unbelievable mother" to their children. The couple, who met on the set of the 1995 film "Two Much," married in May 1996. They welcomed a daughter, Stella, during their nearly 20-year marriage. Banderas also became a stepfather to Griffith's three children from previous relationships, including actress Dakota Johnson.
Griffith filed for divorce in 2014, and the couple announced their split in a joint statement that emphasized a mutual decision to end their marriage in a "loving and friendly manner." Their divorce was finalized in December 2015.
Banderas has been in a relationship with Nicole Kimpel since 2014. Griffith has not publicly discussed relationships since the divorce, having stated in 2018 that she no longer saw the point of marriage.
Despite their separation, Griffith and Banderas have continued to support each other and attend family events. They reunited in October 2025 for their daughter Stella's wedding to Alex Gruszynski in Spain. Most recently, in April, the former couple was photographed together in Los Angeles, linking arms as they left dinner with their daughter Stella and her husband.