Antonio Banderas abandons Malaga project after lack of support

ANTONIO BANDERAS has abandoned the Astoria project in Malaga after receiving harsh criticisms and reportedly feeling humiliated by local opposition parties.

The multi-million euro refurbishment project aimed to transform two run down cinemas, the Astoria and Victoria, into cultural centres with theatres, acting and directing courses, funding for Malaga students, events halls and music and dance workshops.

Criticisms from left-wing Izquierda Unida’s Eduardo Zorrilla and what the Malaga actor saw as general disinterest from Ciudadanos led to the star pulling out of the project.

Zorrilla said he “never insulted Banderas” and treated his team with the “utmost respect.”

He added the Malaga-born star was simply trying to “make him into one of his movie villains. Zorro and the Zorrilla he could call it.”

The Izquierda-Unida spokesman claims he was merely pointing out the project was not best suited for the people of Malaga as it would be giving away the best plot of land in the city.

The lead architect for the project, Jose Segui, reportedly does not know whether the refurbishment will go on now that Banderas has left.

Antonio Banderas said he believes that after the events it is clear that “Malaga doesn’t have the right environment to develop this sort of project at this point in time.”