Antonio and Melanie, ready for their high dollar divorce
Antonio Banderas is in Europe promoting his latest film, The Undefeated 3, and enjoying his new single status. On Tuesday, August 5, he met up…
Actress Melanie Griffith has filed for divorce from her husband, Antonio Banderas. Banderas and Griffith have been married for 18 years. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
Antonio Banderas is in Europe promoting his latest film, The Undefeated 3, and enjoying his new single status.
On Tuesday, August 5, he met up with his fellow cast in London: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Wesley Snipes … as well as Natalie Burn, the young actress and dancer with whom he shared a sensual dance at the Cannes Festival that many have interpreted as the definitive reason for the end of his marriage to Melanie Griffith.
SEE ALSO: Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffiths divorce not so amicable
The next day, the men’s team from the film moved to Marbella, where they presented the film as part of the events of the Starlite Festival, promoted by the Spanish actor. In his homeland, Banderas vetoed any questions regarding the divorce.
Antonio Banderas (L) and Natalie Burn dance at ‘The Expendables 3′ private dinner and party at Gotha Night Club at Palm Beach on May 18, 2014 in Cannes, France. (Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images for Millennium Films)
Melanie has hired the “super lawyer” Laura Wasser
It is said that Antonio and Melanie have signed an agreement whereby both agree to keep quiet about the other.
Griffith has also hired Laura Wasser, the famous celebrity divorce lawyer known for winning contentious, high-profile cases, like Kim Kardashian’s marriage to Kris Humphries, to represent her. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for Laura Wasser)
The pact is part of the divorce process, for which Griffith has hired Laura Wasser, considered the best U.S. attorney in the field, who has handled the million-dollar divorces of other stars including Demi Moore, Angelina Jolie, Christina Aguilera and Scarlett Johansson.
Griffith pays Wasser $750 per hour, an unthinkable figure for other women but one that she can afford. She wants to financially insure her future, now that she’s about to turn 57 and the Hollywood industry seems to have forgotten her.
Antonio and Melanie were married for 18 years and now have to decide what to do with their many common assets: properties in Malibu, New York, Aspen and Marbella, works of art, rights to the production of movies… and the three dogs they adopted together.
Failed meeting in Marbella
Lately, Banderas spends as much time as possible in Malaga, although he has expressed his desire to move to New York to fuel his live theatre career.
At the same time, Melanie continues to reside in Hollywood, where she has been seen in the company of many friends. With a red dress, no alliance and covering the scar of the old tattoo bearing the name of her now ex-husband, Melanie attended the John Varvatos designer store with an attractive, unnamed young man.
Eva Longoria and Melanie Griffith attend the Eva Longoria Foundation Dinner Gala during the 60th Taormina Film Fest at Hotel San Domenico on June 17, 2014 in Taormina, Italy. (Photo by Venturelli/Getty Images)
Apparently, she intended to reappear on the red carpet in early August in Spain, during the charity gala Global Gift sponsored by her friend Eva Longoria. That’s what the two actresses had planned weeks ago, but finally Melanie’s “bad mood” made her change her plans.
She was just not capable of dealing with the curiosity of journalists in the land where her ex-husband may as well be royalty.
Melanie would have undoubtedly been the show’s center of attention, especially considering that Longoria and Banderas used to organize this charity event in Marbella together until their professional relationship broke two summers ago. Since then, they sponsor two parallel galas, competing for media attention and charitable funding.
So Griffith prefers to be cautious and wait a while before appearing in public, and has promised Longoria to attend the new Global Gift Gala, to be held in London on October 23.
Meanwhile, she is resting in Los Angeles in the company of her children and loyal friends, we hope oblivious to the rumors and the new life of the man with whom she shared nearly 20 years of her life.
SEE ALSO: Is there a spark between Antonio Banderas and Sharon Stone?
