Antonio Banderas reveals positive COVID-19 test results on his 60th birthday
Both birthday wishes and well-wishes are in order for actor Antonio Banderas, who revealed on Monday — his 60th birthday — that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
“I want to make it public that today, Aug. 10, I am forced to celebrate my 60th birthday in quarantine, having tested positive for the COVID-19 disease, caused by the coronavirus,” the Oscar nominee wrote in a statement translated from Spanish to English by Variety.
“I would like to add that I feel relatively good, just a little more tired than usual, and am confident that I will recover as soon as possible following medical instructions that I hope will allow me to overcome the infectious period that I am suffering, and that is affecting so many people around the planet.”
Several in the entertainment community — including Paz Vega, Mario Casas, India Martínez, Paula Echevarría, Iván Sánchez, Dani Rovira and Santi Rodríguez and his ex-wife, Melanie Griffith — showered Banderas with virtual love and hugs upon his announcement on social media.
In recent months, Banderas has been using his platform to spread awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic and share photos of himself wearing a face mask while engaging in various outdoor activities. Earlier this year, Banderas received an Oscar nomination for his leading performance in Pedro Almodóvar’s “Pain and Glory,” which also scored a nod for international feature film.
The “Mask of Zorro” star is one of several Hollywood figures who have detailed their personal coronavirus journeys amid the public health emergency, including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Idris Elba, Daniel Dae Kim, Alyssa Milano, Lena Dunham, Bryan Cranston and many more.
“I will take advantage of this isolation to read, write, rest and continue making plans to begin to give meaning to my 60 years, to which I arrive full of enthusiasm,” Banderas continued. “A big hug to everyone.”
Though Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘Pain and Glory’ is semi-autobiographical, its themes of reconciliation and forgiveness are universal, says Antonio Banderas.
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