Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie: Behind the Scenes of “Original Sin”
Although his career has been marked by iconic characters and memorable collaborations, one of the most intense and less glamorous experiences in Antonio Banderas’ Hollywood journey occurred alongside Angelina Jolie.
In a revealing interview with Daily Mail in 2007, the Malaga actor spoke candidly about his challenges filming the movie Original Sin (2001). “Rod such a scene with Angelina Jolie was like shooting a scene where I have to fall from a horse. You have to make it look real, but it is not,” he confessed.
The film, directed by Michael Cristofer and inspired by a novel by Cornell Woolrich, tells the story of a Cuban merchant who marries a mysterious woman, portrayed by Jolie. Both characters become trapped in a spiral of desire, deception, and betrayal.
Upon its release, Original Sin attracted significant media attention. At the time, Jolie had just won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Girl, Interrupted (1999) and was widely regarded as a global sex symbol.
The promotional campaign for Original Sin emphasized the palpable chemistry between its two leads, with the erotic scenes marketed as significant aspects of the film. However, Banderas disclosed that the reality on set was far from the passionate portrayals seen in the final edit.
“We had to make a very intense scene, but of course, it does not resemble what is seen on the screen. I couldn’t touch her, because I had tattoos all over my body that were covered up with makeup. I had to try not to remove them,” he noted.
Further complicating matters, the 64-year-old actor revealed that the filming atmosphere was anything but sensual, with cast and crew constantly providing direction to create the perfect scene. “There were about 150 people around, and every 20 seconds they shouted: ‘Cut!’ Someone would come to fix your hair or adjust your arms… there is nothing sexy about that,” he explained.
In another interview, Banderas mentioned that both he and Jolie were not overly excited about the scene itself. “The love scene, which is the only one in the movie, rolled for a couple of hours, no more. I estimate that we did not do more than three shots. We did not want to do that kind of love scene that shows nothing, but it has a lot of style,” he said, highlighting their intent to maintain artistic integrity.
The undeniable chemistry between Banderas and Jolie on screen sparked rumors of a romance in real life, despite both actors being in committed relationships at that time—Jolie was married to Billy Bob Thornton and Banderas was with Melanie Griffith.
Addressing the speculation, the star of Maleficent firmly denied any possibility of an extramarital affair. “You talk about a man deeply in love with his wife, married, with whom he has beautiful children and forms a great family. And I am madly in love with my husband; we have a wonderful relationship, and the idea that either wishes more than our marriage is really insulting and outrageous,” she told ABC News.
Today, both Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie continue to make significant strides in the entertainment industry, captivating audiences with their performances and box office successes.