Antonio Banderas reveals he has tested positive for coronavirus as he spends 60th birthday in quarantine

The star said he would spend self-isolation reading, writing and resting
The Weekender

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Antonio Banderas has announced that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

The Spanish actor said that he had to mark his 60th birthday in quarantine after contracting Covid-19.

"I want to make public that today... I am forced to celebrate my 60th birthday [in] quarantine after having tested positive for the COVID-19 disease, caused by the coronavirus," he said in a message shared on Twitter, written in Spanish.

He added that he is “feeling relatively well, just a bit more tired than usual” and said he felt “confident that I will recover as soon as possible.”

Banderas said that he would use the recommended period of isolation “to read, write, rest and continue making plans,” telling fans that he had arrived at his milestone birthday “full of desire and enthusiasm.”

Banderas was nominated for an Oscar earlier this year
Getty Images

He signed off with the message: “Big hugs to everyone.”

The star is best known for his role in Zorro

Banderas posted a black and white photo of himself as a young child alongside the announcement.

The star, who is based in Surrey but has homes in Spain and the United States, did not specify where he will be spending his quarantine.

The actor, who is best known for taking the titular role in The Mask of Zorro and voicing Puss In Boots in the Shrek films, is the latest major Hollywood star to test positive for the virus, after the likes of Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Idris Elba.

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