People.com Archive Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas: Inside Their Split By Julie Jordan Julie Jordan Instagram Twitter Julie Jordan is an Editor at Large for PEOPLE. She has been with the brand for 25 years, holding various roles in the Los Angeles Bureau including Associate Bureau Chief. In 2006, she relocated to the Midwest where she continues to cover all things entertainment and Hollywood, including celebrity covers, features and specials such as Sexiest Man Alive and the Beautiful Issue.Prior to joining PEOPLE, Jordan freelanced for magazines such as SOUTHERN LIVING and graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism. She is well-versed in what it takes to be the Sexiest Man Alive (having interviewed 11 of them for their cover stories) and considers shooting a confetti cannon on-stage alongside Garth Brooks during his performance of "Friends in Low Places" a career highlight. People Editorial Guidelines Published on June 23, 2014 12:00 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Melanie Griffith was all smiles as she posed for photos on June 5 at the AFI Life Achievement Awards in Los Angeles. Sporting her wedding ring and showing off her tattoo of husband Antonio Banderas’s name in a sleeveless gown, Griffith, 56, stayed close to her date for the evening, pal Eva Longoria, as the two enjoyed a girls’ night out. “She looked great and said she was doing ‘good,’ ” says a guest. “She definitely seemed happy.” And on the verge of being single. The next day Griffith filed for divorce from Banderas in L.A., citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support and physical custody of their 17-year-old daughter Stella. The couple released a statement saying they had “thoughtfully and consensually” decided to end the marriage after 18 years. The news surprised many close to the couple, who always seemed determined to make the marriage work. “They’ve been down this road before and had their ups and downs, but I never thought it would actually happen,” says a longtime friend of both. Another friend of Griffith’s says the strains eventually added up. “They have had issues for years,” the friend says. “The fights and separations got to be too much. There were fewer happy moments.” The relationship was fiery from the start. Sparks flew between Banderas, 53, and Griffith after meeting on the set of the 1995 film Two Much, though they were married to others at the time (he to Spanish actress Ana Leza; she to actor Don Johnson). After their own wedding in May 1996, “they always had a very passionate relationship but also a very mature and secure one,” says a family friend. Banderas stood by Griffith as she battled her demons—undergoing treatment for substance abuse in 2000 before entering rehab again in 2009 for an addiction to painkillers. Griffith also endured rumors of trouble in their marriage after Banderas was spotted getting cozy with two different women in 2012. “I never saw him do anything that would be alarming,” says a source close to the actor. “He has always been in love with one woman – and that was Melanie.” Last seen publicly (and hand in hand) with Banderas in March, Griffith was noticeably absent at this year’s Cannes Film Festival last month, where the actor was again spotted dancing and dining on several occasions with various women, including his Expendables 3 costar Natalie Burn, who denied any romance. “He’s a very open and outgoing person, but he doesn’t do anything beyond dancing and talking with women,” she says. “He always told me how much he loved his wife. But he said he was going through a tough time.” Back home in L.A., Griffith took to Twitter on May 2 and asked her followers, “Who believes in marriage and why? Or why not?” The actress, says a close source, could be “insecure about him being around other women. She was very protective.” But another Banderas insider insists jealousy was never a factor in the couple’s downfall. “She trusted him,” the source says. “If they were apart, he would call her all the time. He once said that things were better when they traveled away from each other. Because when they’d get back together, it was like a honeymoon all over again.” Not this time. For now, friends expect the two to focus on their family and iron out the details of their split (see box) the way they lived their life together—navigating any bumps with tolerance and support. “They’ve been through it all,” says Griffith’s friend. “Simply put, I think life took a toll on them. But they will be the first to say they had a good run.”