Melanie Griffith’s famed Antonio Banderas tattoo, a holdover from her miserable, failed fourth marriage, has over ten years later been entirely removed. The 65-year-old has now made the decision to have a fresh tattoo directly over the existing one. And it’s reasonable to say that nobody anticipated this.
Melanie Griffith received a tattoo of her ex-husband Antonio Banderas when they were still together. The fact that she still had his name tattooed on her flesh after their divorce, which many believed she regretted, was evident just days later when she covered the tattoo with makeup for an Italian film festival awards ceremony.
After 18 years, their marriage was finally consummated in 2015. According to reports, Melanie had the notorious tattoo entirely removed using laser therapy.
During the making of the 1995 romantic comedy Too Much, Melanie and Antonio first got to know one another and fell in love. A year later, when they also welcomed their daughter Stella, they got married.
This was Melanie’s fourth marriage. The couple released a statement after the split that read, “We have thoughtfully and consensually decided to finalize our almost twenty years marriage in a loving and friendly manner honoring and respecting each other, our family and friends, and the beautiful time we have spent together – Melanie & Antonio.”
They did, in fact, maintain their friendship over the years and shown mutual respect for one another. In a 2019 interview, Antonio described his ex as “my family,” adding that they are no longer married. She’s possibly my best friend, if not my best friend overall. Alexander, Dakota, and Little Estella are all present with me.
Even his first encounter with her was remembered, he recalled, “The first time I went to the Academy Awards after we got a nomination for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, we got on the red carpet and I saw this blonde woman and I knew her because I saw movies of her, but I didn’t remember [her name] at the time.”
He resumed his narrative, “So, who is she?” I asked Pedro Almodóvar. She is who? What is she called? Pedro remarked, “That’s Melanie Griffith!” ‘That’s it,’ I murmured. Thank God. I wed her after six years of dating.
“During those years, everything happened quite quickly. If I genuinely look back on my life, it was exciting and quick. I recall those years as being really vibrant and breathtaking,” he said in conclusion.
Melanie shares Antonio’s feelings, yet she nonetheless sets boundaries, as evidenced by her choice to have the tattoo removed.
On the same body part where her ex’s name used to be tattooed, the actress was recently observed wearing a new tattoo with pride. Her four children’s names—Alexander, Stella, Dakota, and Jesse—are arranged in a crossword puzzle pattern on the new tattoo.
