Antonio Banderas to play Picasso in Civil War film by Carlos Saura

Banderas, who was born in Málaga – like Picasso – and takes part in the Easter parades there every year says he has 'reached the time in his life' when he could get away with playing the artist.

“I once refused to play the part of Pablo Picasso, but I've got to a moment in my life where I understand him better, and I'm nearly the age he was when these incidents happened – in 1937, he was about 55 or 56, and I'm not far off,” said the Hollywood legend, who turns 54 this summer.

The film is 'a portrait of very harsh times, with the Spanish Civil War all around', explains Banderas.

“And then there's a commission from the Republic to paint a mural [pictured below right], which Picasso initially refuses to do, but then agrees following the bombing of Guernika.

“It's a very special, personal moment both for Picasso and for his relationship with women – and he's overwhelmed by tribulations with the picture, since he even starts to consider writing rather than painting. It's a crucial moment in his life,” explains the actor.

The film will also involve 'working once again with a friend' and a man 'to whom Spain owes a great deal from a cultural and cinema point of view', Banderas adds, referring to the director, silver-screen veteran Carlos Saura.

Banderas, who is married to Melanie Griffith, says he is also looking forward to working with photographic director Vittorio Storaro, whom he describes as 'a great legend of world cinematography', and with actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

The 'adopted daughter' of the town of Talavera de la Reina, near Madrid, Gwyneth was suggested for one of the main female roles in the movie by Banderas himself, since she is 'absolutely in love with Spain' and 'speaks Spanish and French perfectly'.

Having spent many years visiting the country for long periods of time, the ex-wife of Coldplay's Chris Martin and mother of Apple has a flawless spoken command of Spanish, and has been interviewed on live TV in Spain and Latin America speaking in the language.

The Guernika film is called 33 Days, but a release date has not yet been confirmed due to administration hiccups involving the production firm, which is in receivership but owns the rights to the script.

Banderas believes shooting will start this summer, but at worst they may have to put it back to March next year.

In the meantime, following his Easter break in his home city on the Costa del Sol, the actor will have little time to sit still.

“I leave here on May 3 and travel to Colombia, then afterwards I have to go to Perú, go back to Los Angeles, spend five days filming there, then to Cannes Festival – and that's where my professional year ends because I'm going to spend the summer resting and planning next year, which could be a very interesting one,” Banderas concludes, cryptically.

The actor still owns his villa in Marbella, but has recently bought a penthouse flat in Málaga, since this is where his friends and family live and where he was born, he explains.