Melanie Griffith, 54, is working again after a three month stint in rehab for pain pill addiction in August, 2009. She’s been sober for nearly three years now and is now starring in a play in Burbank, California. It’s called “No Way Around But Through” and was written by and co-stars Scott Caan. I saw an interview with the two of them on Extra last month and they were so flirty with each other. After that, The Enquirer ran a story about how Melanie was flirting with Scott to get back at Antonio, who has been seen out with various other women who are not his wife. There’s plenty of speculation that Melanie and Antonio’s divorce is imminent, but I’m hoping that they pull through. I like both of them, and I don’t want to think of Antonio as a cheater.
Anyway Melanie did an interview with the L.A. Times to promote her role. She talked a lot about aging in Hollywood and how she’s discouraged by the lack of roles for women in their 50s. It made me sad for her. She always strikes me as fragile, and you can tell that it’s affected her. She also explained how her daughters convinced her to go to rehab in 2009. Melanie only mentioned Antonio once, in passing, and it kind of confirmed my suspicions that they’re either separated or going through a very rough patch. Here’s more.
You got great reviews on Broadway when you played Roxie Hart in “Chicago.” Why haven’t you done more theater, or are you planning to?
I would love to. I really love it. It’s so much more challenging than film. And the way the film business is these days, it’s pretty bad. And the things that are written now are not very good, not many. And the good ones go to the chosen few of the year or the decade. And there certainly aren’t a lot of movies written for women who are in their 50s. I think that’s always a shame; it should be done more.I know you’ve been pursuing a number of projects recently, but I haven’t seen you around lately. Are you diving back into your career or were you doing that all along?
I have four kids, and Stella, my youngest, is 15, and she’s going into 10th grade in September, so now I can start thinking about going back to work. I really love working. It makes me feel like an even better person when I work. I function much better if I have a really rigid schedule. When I’m left to my own devices, I can just be all over the place.Plus just getting older in this town is very hard on your self-esteem if you pay attention to what people say or read what people write. That’s why I really like doing theater. I think theater actors are a whole different breed.
Has it been hard for people to look past your girlish roles of the past when they’re casting?
I don’t know. And I really don’t care. Honestly. At this point, I would be really, really happy if I could do more work, if I could make more movies. But I don’t want to say that I would be grateful. I would be really happy to be working and be able to do my craft. But I’m not desperate anymore or feeling weird about myself because I’m not working in this business. I’m older and wiser and there’s a lot more to life.You’ve struggled with sobriety over many years. How have you managed to succeed?
It’s exactly what I used to hear, when they would say, “It takes what it takes and you’ll know when you know.” What happened to me three years ago was the tipping point for me. It was when I finally went, oh, OK, I get it.The family intervention?
No, it wasn’t an intervention, well, sort of, in a way. My daughters really sat me down and said, look, Mom, this is what it is. Dakota and Stella, both. I don’t want to say what really happened, but they were the ones who said, “You really need to get help,” and I heard them and knew what they meant. And I saw it and I did it. But I couldn’t have done it without them. I really couldn’t have. And I’m so grateful. I see now I just didn’t get it before. It doesn’t mean that I’m stupid. It’s just that that’s what the disease is.
[From The L.A. Times]
Both Melanie and Antonio have talked to the press prior to this about her latest stint in rehab. He opened up in an interview with AARP last year, saying that they’d all worked together as a family to help Melanie get sober. Melanie disagreed with that though, (and I just found this out) she was interviewed by AARP separately and said that Antonio “was in London at the time” that she went to rehab and that “We had two family weeks there, but we didn’t follow through.” Maybe I have a mistaken impression of how together they are. Maybe Antonio likes to present an image of a doting husband and family man when he’s off on trips hooking up with randoms. Melanie went on in that interview to praise him and say that he has been supportive, but she hedged a little.
“Antonio was supportive to the extent that he can be, but if you’re not an alcoholic or drug addict, and you find out that your wife is a bad one, it’s hard to deal with. … I wish he would go to a meeting with me or to Al-Anon, but it’s very foreign to him. Addiction runs in my family but not in his.
“I don’t mean that against him. I would like him to do more, but it’s a difficult thing to have happen in any family, and in that way he has been totally by my side. He really is the greatest guy.”
Well I’m glad to see Melanie working again, and sober. She was honored at The Munich Film festival on Monday for her long career. These photos are from that event, where she dressed like it was still the 90s in a v-neck leather mini dress, too much jewelry and a little black cardigan. It’s kind of a fug look, but it could be worse I guess.
They also premiered her new movie at the festival, a psychological thriller called The Grief Tourist. She looks very happy, but I have to say, where’s Antonio? We always see her at his events supporting him. The last time we saw Antonio he was partying in Cannes without Melanie.
Photo credit: API/FAMEFLYNET
her and demi seem cut from the same cloth.
This article infuriates me. How dare this 50yr old woman make her teenagers be the adult/mother? Thanks for stealing away their youth so you could pretend to cling to yours, Melanie. Ugh. Can’t stand her and her ilk.
family should have staged a fashion/hair intervention WTF?
I liked her in “born yesterday”. I never thought she and antonio seemed like a fit.
She complained about lack of roles in her 40s also. I didn’t feel sorry for her. In her early 40s I saw her on Rosie O’Donnell. She looked so amazing. Whatever she was doing minor plastic surgerywise was working. About four or five months later she comes on Rosie again. Shocking. She had done an obvious facelift on
her already thin face and her lips were blown up even bigger. Her face was so pulled it looked like
a skeleton head. She had that phony plastic
surgery look. That’s why the work dried up and
plenty of other actresses kept getting work.
Her face is fine now, but for many years she was blowing up her lips. comically. Nobody wants to see that on screen. She looks great in these
photos.
I agree. I think they are separated or emotionally estranged right now. It’s the second interview she mentions her daughters and not bringing him up, gushing over him.
Poor thing, she never really had a chance. (Addiction runs in her family; she was partying with adults at 14 or younger; etc…)
Where IS Antonio, anyway? If he’s pulling some kind of Tiger shit, he will be another no-go in my (sadly rapidly expanding) book of “I’m Done with Him’s.”
Apparently, we can thank the skeevy Ryan O’Neil for many an actress’s forever victimized feelings of inadequacy.
I am quite divided on Melanie. On one part, I do understand her shitty childhood. Drugs and abuse where quite the norm in her circle while growing up.
However, she’s a grown-ass woman allowing her children to baby her (!!!), and that is not truly mother-of-the-year standards. I find it unfair for her to put that kind of pressure on her 15 and 19 year-old daughters. They’re at an age where they will be testing their own wings; At an age where they are allowed to be self-centered, and find their path in life. But no. They must take care of mom. Forever victimized mom.
And apparently, no matter the years of support, Antonio can never understand, and can certainly never do enough.
Do I believe Antonio is a serial cheater? you bet your ass I do. But I also believe that Melanie has to grow the f-ck up and take HER life in charge. That includes her illnesses as well.
I, for one, have a hard time feeling bad for her if Antonio is cheating on her. She knew he was married when she got involved with him and he divorced his wife to marry her. I’m not sure she was always faithful in her previous marriages either so it’s just hard to see her as a victim when it seems like karma
@Maguita–This! I completely agree with you. I think she has probably had a rough go. But she is also totally throwing him under the bus in that interview with her passive-aggressive “He’s a great guy but not really.” I have always thought she was fragile and wanted someone to save her. That’s exhausting to be around. Not saying her husband is a saint or has handled it well. I really have no idea. But her comments make my stomach hurt because I know too many people like that.
I do feel a lot of sympathy for her. Some people have a harder time overcoming their childhoods.
When she was 14 her mother knowingly allowed her to have a sexual relationship with a 22 y/o co-worker, Don Johnson. While many here tore me up about thinking it was ridiculous for Kim K. to be on the pill at 14, I see it as contributing to Melanie’s problems.
Paris Hilton proves that love and affection alone are not enough when raising a child. There have to be rules and boundaries.
So Melanie is involved with her mom’s co-worker (I think the rumor was Tippi was involved with him sexually as well). It would seem drugs and alcohol were readily available to her growing up. They even at some point had wild cats living in the house because I read one of them mauled Melanie.
Should you be 54 y/o using your childhood as an excuse? Probably not. But if basic boundaries, rules, and social mores are not instilled in you as you grow up, it can be very hard to center yourself in reality. Again – see Paris Hilton.
Antonio Banderas may have a wondering eye but he has some discretion. Back when he was married to his first wife, before he was really famous, Madonna went after him hardcore. I’ve always loved him for being completely disinterested.
Addiction runs in many families, but that is not a good enough reason to make her out as a victim. She is responsible for her own actions.
As for Antonia being a cheater, of course he is. That is exactly how they met.
She was honored at The Munich Film festival for her long career, wtf? Unless I’m mistaken, she hasn’t done much compared to most other actresses. Isn’t she mostly known for Working Girl, a movie made in the 80’s?
I never thought they would even last this long. I feel like it’s just a matter of WHEN they get divorced. Not to be negative, but they’ve had marriage problems for a while now.
I agree. I figured when his daughter was grown the split would happen. The kids probably kept them together as a family longer. Her children are grown and Stella I think is closing in on 18 or is at least 16.
Jayna: you’re exactly right. In my opinion only, she seems like the type who’s sitting back and waiting for “Hollywood” to call.
Things have changed a lot in HW. She is correct that not that long ago, after 40, your chaces were slim. Even Meryl Streep said that. But as our population has aged and the babyboomers are a large part of that, the roles have grown exponentially and there are a lot of successful 40 plus women who have thought outside the box (tv, exec producing, etc.):
Of course, Meryl Streep but also:
Glenn Close (Damages, movies)
Kyra Sedgwick (Closer)
Marisa Hargitay (L&O)
Amy Poehler
Halle Berry
Michelle Pfeifer
Courtney Cox
Sela Ward
Vanessa Williams
Maria Bello
Kate Walsh
Salma Hayek
Helen Mirrin
Judy Dench
Mary Louise Parker
So, I think she’s trying to blame others when she is fully responsible for her career challenges.
Btw, I started reading this blog about 3 weeks ago after a link from dlisted. I love the moderator and all of your intelligent comments! They are so negative at dlisted, I only read his posts. Can’t get enough! Thank you all!
Julianna Margulies
Nicole Kidman
Sandra Bullock
Diane Lane
Jennifer Connelly
Marg Hellenberger
Julianne Moore
Naomi Watts
Amy Poehler
+ 1.
Things don’t sound great between them. Hope it works out, I can’t imagine she’d handle a breakup very well. Glad it seems like the rehab worked for her, sorry for her kids they had to deal with that.
I have to agree with Jayna – I think a big part of her not getting a lot of work is the extensive plastic surgery – add that to all of her personal issues, I can’t imagine many are lining up to hire her. She’s right about the limited roles, but she’s got more than age working against her.
She looks so much better now that her lips are returning to normal. I just hope she keeps them that way.
As far as her and Antonio, he’s always been a known cheat. dont forget he left his wife of many yrs to be with her. she was totally caught off guard with it too.
Im sure he’s already had his share of side pieces, his words of support to MG are more for his image than anything.
I remember being totally shocked and disgusted years ago when I first saw Melanie with her freakshow duck lips. I had never seen such a full on plastic surgery disaster before and could not believe she went out in public with her destroyed face. And she wonders why her career dried up? Who could look at that face on a movie screen for any length of time?
She could have had it all but she ruined her beauty and her career, just like Meg Ryan did, and for the same reason – duck lips. Lip enhancement is the one surgical procedure which always fails bigtime – I’ve never seen anyone who’s done it that doesn’t look weird and worse afterwards. I see Melanie’s lips are a bit toned down now, but have been replaced with one of those Priscilla Presley Joker smiles pulled at the corners.
Antonio has put up with a lot over the years and this is harsh, but I don’t blame him for cheating. If I were a man, I would not want to be with a freaky faced drug addict. He’s been discreet and probably stuck around for his daughter and the lifestyle, not for Melanie.
Ya know, if they do split, I have to hand it to Antonio for sticking by her as long as he did. If you go back and read some of her interviews she makes it clear that she’s an addict and her family was always around her, helping her.
I know things get bitter towards the end, I really hope she realized how much he sacrificed for her and she doesn’t turn into a bitchy, badmouthing xwife.
I love me some Melanie. Remember her in Cecil B. Demented? Hehe! Great role.
Good for Melanie and she does look happy.
She should be in a movie where she plays Jane Fonda’s daughter and ScarJo’s or Reese’s mom. That would be believable.
She gave an interview to German television and was pretty bitchy when they asked her if Hollywood was putting pressure on women to look younger and younger. She was all “Don’t ask me that, Bitch, how rude.” Then when the interviewer said that she and Antonio seem a great couple and how do they manage to make it work in Hollywood she almost blew up in her face going along the lines of “WTF are you asking me, that is so personal, why do keep people asking me personal things? I don’t ask you personal questions on your marriage life!” ” The lady interviewing said: “Feel free to ask.” Mel: ” Do you and your husband still have sex?” Interviewer: “Sure. Been married 9 years. Sex still good!”
Melanie acted like a piece of work. I say Antonio’s been MIA for a bit at home.
Oh shiesta I don’t want to get old.
I know Mel has a son by Steven Bauer, a daughter with Don Johnson and a second girl with Antonio. Who is Mel’s 4th child and who’s the baby daddy? I think now that Mel has lost her duck bill, she looks a LOT better. She now really resembles her mother who, without plastic surgery and drugs, is still very lovely. Funny thing though Tippi is still able to find work.
Slightly off topic, but I hear whisperings that Scott Caan is gay. Y/N?
She has a step-son with Don Johnson.His name is Jesse. hence, the “fourth” child.
Kudos to her for admitting she needed rehab and not claiming “exhaustion.” No better reason to get clean then your children.
Of course Antonio is a cheater. He was married when he started seeing Griffith. The old saying is true-if he cheats with you, he’ll cheat on you.
And what a POS mother she is that her CHILDREN have to stage an intervention to get her to sober up! I don’t care how “fragile” she is. Once you have kids you have to get over that and do the right thing.
Personally, I hope she and Antonio do stay together. They are both losers and deserve each other.
The dress is too snug and all around fits poorly. Looks hippy on the bottom and smooshed on top.
I almost liked it. But not.
Don’t know what to say about Melanie and Antonio. 🙁
I always thought they were the oddest couple. Could not believe it when they got together.
And Hollywood must be the hardest place on earth to get old in. Couldn’t pay me enough to be in that environment. Getting old sucks enough as it is.
Getting old sucks enough as it is, indeed. Hollywood must be the worst circle of hell in that case!
The people who are criticizing Melanie for her girls having to convince her to go to rehab, and saying that she should grow up, obviously have no understanding of addiction. Addiction is a physical and chemical disease, which can also have emotional and pyschological aspects. It is horrible for the addictive person and for all the people who love them. I agree that it is sad that her girls had to face some really tough situations at young ages, however, substance abuse is very difficult to beat and has nothing to do with how much you love your children. I really hope none of you people being so mean ever have to deal with an addiction or an addiction of someone you love…
Those of you who are dissing Antonio for cheating on his first wife with Melanie are conveniently forgetting that she was still married to Don Johnson, so she’s a cheater, too. Also, I’m sure Antonio does the best he can dealing with her. If you don’t know any addicts, then it’s rather difficult to relate. And I don’t care what anyone says, I will always love Antonio for continuously saying that he didn’t understand why she thought she needed plastic surgery and that he wanted her to stop.
I get so irate when people refer to substance abuse as a DISEASE! Cancer is a disease. Diabetes is a disease. Cystic fibrosis is a disease. Substance abusers seek out their substance to abuse and actively abuse it. It does not occur organically due to weakness in tissue. It is a BEHAVIOR! Do people pursue cancer? Pay for it, seek it out anyway, when society tells them it’s bad for them??? Substance abuse does not occur naturally in nature, but it is probably stupidly classified as a disease so that funding/insurance will cover it. Disease my ass. Stupidity should be classified as a f*cking disease! Too bad there isn’t rehab for dumbassedness.
heh. +1. dude, i’ve BEEN to rehab and i still agree with you. pisses me off.
i just saw ‘something wild’ 2 nights ago and she was so AWESOME in the 80s.
‘working girl’
‘body double’
80s classics!
get well, Mel & just remember…
” I have a head for business and a bod for sin.” 😉