Stella del Carmen Banderas (Marbella, 27 years old), daughter of actors Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, announced this Tuesday, August 20, her engagement to Alex Gruszynski, whom she met at her Los Angeles nursery school, Wagon Wheel School, when she was a child. “I will be able to spend all my time with my favorite person on earth forever!” she celebrated on her Instagram account, where he has more than 226,000 followers, along with a photograph in which she shows off her engagement ring, and other images in which the couple can be seen in endearing photos from their adolescence and childhood. The couple landed in Greece last week to spend a few days on vacation, where several media outlets point out that the marriage proposal took place. For now, they have only announced the engagement; the date of the wedding is still unknown.
Stella Banderas and Alex Gruszynski’s relationship has gone through different stages before they got engaged. Despite having known each other since they were children, they started dating in 2015 and were together until 2019. After that breakup, the only daughter born from the 18-year marriage of the Malaga actor Melanie Griffith fell in love with Eli Meyer, the son of Ronald Meyer, the popular American television talent scout. That relationship ended, and in 2023 Banderas and Gruszynski gave each other a second chance, as they themselves confirmed on Valentine’s Day of that same year. Their union is also blessed by the mother of the future bride, who in 2017 already boasted on social media about her son-in-law by sharing a photo of the young people that she titled as “true love.” Following the announcement of the engagement, in which Stella has given the location of the school where they met, Melanie Griffith has also celebrated it with a comment on her daughter’s post: “I love you so much. Congratulations again.” Hours later, the actress shared her daughter’s engagement with a post on his Instagramwhere she has 647,000 followers: “He asked… On his knees… she said yes… Stella and Alex are engaged to be married. Their love story began in preschool! True love, deep love! Congratulations to the lovers!” said a message accompanied by photos in which the couple is shown affectionately showing off the engagement ring.
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Shortly after, Antonio Banderas published those same photos to also celebrate with his followers on Instagram the happy news. “My daughter Stella del Carmen is getting married. We couldn’t be happier and more excited.” In fact, the last time the couple could be seen in public was during the last Easter in the streets of Malaga with the actor, an event that Banderas faithfully attends year after year.
The future bride and groom share a passion for the world of cinema, but also for living a life as far away from the media spotlight as possible. The boyfriend of Antonio Banderas’ daughter graduated in Business Administration from Wake Forest University, later specialising in finance at a business school. After a change of professional direction, he dedicated himself to the entertainment industry as a talent scout in the film literature department of the William Morris Endeavor agency. Currently, he is the co-founder and CEO of Nova, a website that aims to bring together freelance artists in one place. For her part, Stella defines herself as a “filmmaker”. The young woman has studied Dramatic Art, although she has also dabbled in jewellery design and has worked as an assistant director in her father’s theatre company based in the Soho theatre in Malaga.
The couple’s followers have celebrated the engagement with multiple messages on social networks. “Now that’s a love story!” raves one Stella fan. “Congratulations, Stella and Alex! I knew fate had this in store for you,” raves another. Some celebrities have also joined in the congratulations: “Congratulations!” gushes Kris Jenner, matriarch and manager of the entire Kardashian clan; “This is truly the best news I’ve ever heard! I love you guys so much,” says actor Blake Lee.
