Ana Leza Is Antonio Banderas’ First Wife Who Was Also an Actress

Ana Leza saw her first husband, actor Antonio Banderas, through his first years as a newcomer in Hollywood. She made it her duty to ensure he learned English, so he could land the roles that catapulted his success. However, things didn’t end so well between the ex-lovers.

In the early 1990s, Antonio Banderas plunged into the American film and television industry. As a newcomer with no English background, the actor was presented with a language barrier that would be an obstacle to his career.

That was until Ana Leza, the woman who would become his first wife, took it upon herself to bridge that barrier, so the “Spy Kids” star had a chance at success. Leza was fluent in English and taught her ex-husband how to speak the language.

Antonio Banderas and Ana Leza are photographed during the 66th Annual Academy Awards at Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images

The pair developed a working relationship and even appeared alongside each other in some productions. As it grew, a romantic spark ignited between the two. Eventually, they married after less than a year of courtship and remained together for nearly a decade.

However, only a few years into their union, Banderas already had eyes for another woman, who fatefully became his colleague in the 1995 film “Two Much.” A year later, Leza and Banderas divorced, with Leza securing a sizeable settlement that her ex-husband lamented.

Antonio Banderas and Ana Leza are pictured during the “Interview With A Vampire” Los Angeles Premiere at Mann’s Village Theater on November 9, 1994, in Westwood, California | Source: Getty Images

Ana Was an Actress

Leza was born to actress Concha Leza in Madrid, Spain. She followed in her mother’s footsteps and pursued an acting career that she later ended in the early 2000s. In 1988, she appeared in the Pedro Almodóvar screenplay “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” playing a character named Ana.

Banderas was one of the comedy drama’s leading stars, portraying a man named Carlos. That same year, she was involved in the crime thriller film “El placer de matar,” although her role in that production remained unclear.

Leza went on to play Evangelina in the 1994 movie adaptation of the romance thriller “Of Love and Shadows.” She was among other staples in the acting household, including Banderas, Jennifer Conelly, and Stefania Sandrelli.

Antonio Banderas and Ana Leza pose on the red carpet at “The Mambo Kings” Westwood Premiere on February 26, 1992, at the Mann Bruin Theatre in Westwood, California | Source: Getty Images

After marrying the “Puss In Boots” voice actor, Leza became his private English instructor. She is recognized as one of the biggest role players in his success; even Banderas acknowledged that. When he worked on the script “Los reyes del mambo,” Leza helped him translate his lines, as he recalled:

“She helped me translate the script for ‘Los reyes del mambo,’ to work on it, she gave me a lot of confidence. Without her, I would have not gotten the role.”

Antonio Banderas and Ana Leza enjoying a meal at an unspecified location, on an unspecified date | Source: Getty Images

Ana Was Married to One of the Hottest Hollywood Actors

Leza and Banderas dated for six months before deciding to tie the knot. Their first encounter was when Leza had watched Banderas perform in a play and admired his acting prowess. Banderas seemed to have been smitten from the moment he also laid eyes on Leza, as he recalled:

“There was something about her that I instantly understood. I had to meet her.”

Antonio Banderas and Ana Leza are photographed during “The Mambo Kings” New York Premiere on February 12, 1992, at Ziegfield Theatre in New York City | Source: Getty Images

They married in Madrid at de san Nicolas church on July 27, 1987, and afterward, they moved to the United States. Leza took her duty as her husband’s English instructor seriously, as she explained:

“It was essential that I accompany him to the United States because he did not speak a word of English and I speak it fluently.”

The former couple shared homes in Manhattan and Madrid. As Banderas’ career burgeoned, he eventually earned recognition, receiving his first Oscar nomination for his role in “Pain and Glory” in 1992.

Antonio Banderas and Ana Leza are pictured as they arrive at the 1992 Academy Awards | Source: Getty Images

Leza became the first woman to accompany the star as he honored such a prestigious nod and invitation to the awards ceremony. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before their relationship fell apart. Banderas had developed feelings for one of his co-stars, Melanie Griffith, while they worked on “Two Much.”

The pair had first encountered each other at the 1989 Academy Awards. In 1995, Banderas decided to end his marriage with Leza and married Griffith the following year, who later mothered his children. Leza didn’t take the separation well, going as far as accusing Griffith of “stealing” her husband.

Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith are photographed the European Film Award in December 1999 in Berlin, Germany | Source: Getty Images

Although her marriage didn’t end well, Leza secured a considerable settlement on her divorce; she received 3.4 million euros, their Madrid home, alimony of 12,000 euros a month, and 50% of all the profits Banderas made from his movies while they were married.

Ana Managed to Build a New Life after the Divorce

After Banderas, Leza remarried editor and documentarian Dharma Villareal in 2000. They held an intimate ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, and soon started building a family. The pair share daughters, Clara Maria and Sophia Macarena.

Leza and Villareal moved around a few times with their children, settling in cities like Madrid, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi, and Fallsburg. They attempted to establish a restaurant franchise in Madrid in 2003; however, it wasn’t successful. The Leza-Villareal family also shared a passion for meditation and devoted faith in Buddhism.

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