Andy García on his love for Spain, overcoming obstacles in his career, and the joy of family

Before he ever considered acting, Andy García aspired to be an athlete. During his childhood and youth, he played basketball and baseball with another Oscar-nominated actor, Mickey Rourke, as his Little League coach. García also played tennis. These days, he’s passionate about golf, frequently competes in tournaments, and has achieved a 7 handicap. While we may have lost out on a star basketball player or a record-setting catcher, the film industry has certainly gained one of its most talented actors.

It’s been a while since Andy García last visited Spain, but he loves the country and is thrilled about the opportunity that brought him to Madrid: hosting the 25th Laureus World Sports Awards this past Monday, April 22nd. The prestigious international awards, established in the year 2000, annually honor the best in various sports disciplines. Furthermore, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports over 300 programs in more than 50 countries, has positively impacted the lives of over six million young people since its inception.

On screen, Andy García not only excels as an actor but also shines as a musician and composer. However, the most cherished aspect of his life is his family: his wife, Mariví Lorido, their four children, and now his two-year-old granddaughter. He is delighted to embrace the role of grandfather once again. !HOLA! Spain had the opportunity to sit with the actor during his visit.

“Being a husband, father, and grandfather is a blessing,” the renowned actor tells us, sharing that his second grandchild will be born this year.

It’s great to see you in Spain again. It’s been a long time.

Yeah, it’s been a long time. I love Spain, but I’ve mostly been here for work. I’ve never shot a film here, though I’ve always wanted to. The opportunity just hasn’t come up.

Well, think about it for a project; it’s the perfect excuse.

Yeah, I’d like that and it’s great because you can stay much longer. For now, I’ve only come for promotional visits. And I was here on my honeymoon with my wife. Of course, I was born in Cuba, and if you trace back my family tree, the origins are here. But my wife’s grandparents, Mariví, were born in Asturias, in Taramundi and Ribadesella. And we’re planning a trip there because there’s still a lot of family from the Lorido Lombardero side, who are in the cider business.

You came as the host of the Laureus Awards, what motivated you to accept such a different challenge from anything you’ve done in your career? 

I’ve had a long relationship with the Richemont group and the family of Johann Rupert. And I think I’ve been playing their Dunhill Links tournament in Scotland for about seven years, not necessarily consecutively. And when they called me to host this event I was thrilled, because I’m very fond of them and it feels like they consider me part of their family.

Not many people know about your connection to sports, but it’s not just about golf. 

I used to have a pretty good handicap, you know. I think the best I had during my sports days was like a 7 or 8. Now I’m at an 11. But I love the game.

Because you wanted to be a professional basketball player. right?

Well, that’s every kid’s dream, right? You want to be a pro in something, in sports.

And you also played baseball. Plus, I heard you had a very special coach...

Yeah, I played baseball and basketball. And yes, Mickey Rourke was my coach when we were really young—laughs—and we were very successful, won the city championship in Miami with him as coach. Imagine that!

And for a movie star like you, what does it mean to be surrounded by sports stars? 

I’ve been around Tom Brady a few times. Just last night we were together, and I was also with Djokovic. Part of my family were professional tennis players. My godfather, also Andy Garcia, was a professional coach and manager for José Luis Clerc for many years. His son played semi-pro. I also played a bit when I was young, so tennis has been part of the family sport. I’m a fan of the sport and anyone who stands out.

Before you became an actor and reached where you are now, you worked various jobs: gardener, laborer, bellhop, waiter... 

Of course.

Was it tough breaking into the film industry with the last name Garcia? Back in the late 70s when you started, there were a lot more stereotypes.

Yeah, there really weren’t opportunities, honestly. First, because there were only five studios—I’m talking about film and TV, not theater—there was no cable and all that. So, opportunities were fewer and the stereotypes were well entrenched. 

If you had a Hispanic last name, like me, you weren’t seen as an actor, you were seen as a Hispanic. If you had a chance to audition for a movie or a TV show and thus make a living, what you got were roles as criminals and gang members, mostly Mexican. They never saw you outside that cast. It was very tough for me because I didn’t fit into that world, as they’d say at auditions for a Mexican gang, ‘You’re Hispanic, but not Mexican. Here are a lot of actors more physically suited for that role.’

But you made it.

Little by little, there, going on...

Do you feel like the epitome of the American dream? If you work hard, there’s an opportunity. You are the example.

I’d say I’m one of the millions of examples, starting at home, my dad, my mom, my brother, and my sister. We left Cuba in ‘61. We spent two and a half years under Fidel Castro’s dictatorship, were lucky to get out. And I saw that example in my parents, moving forward and securing a business and a future for their family. That was a big example for me in my turn, because I went to seek like a second exile, in that sense.

Meaning you went after your dreams?

“I didn’t stay in south Miami, we had a business and were already in a bit more of a comfortable situation. I went after my desire, to achieve my dreams. And I think that example my parents set was very useful. In any business, you have to, of course, prepare well for when a door opens a bit, so when you enter, people realize you’ve got the right stuff. And that’s the most important thing, it’s not about preparing like you’re a doctor, but seeking opportunities in life sometimes there are many obstacles.”

You’ve had many successes, been nominated for an Oscar, played many roles... but your biggest success is the family you’ve built. Next year marks 50 years since you met your wife and first proposed... 

“Yes, 50 years...” “You have four kids following in your footsteps. And now there’s a new blessing in the family, your two-year-old granddaughter...” “Yes, and another on the way—smiles proudly—. Violette Rose Borrello, father Italian and mother Cuban, calls me dad. She has a very interesting personality and is a blessing, honestly, having another little girl around the house. 

And thank God, we have a very united family, we’re always together. I’m coming straight from a shoot in Apulia, in the city of Lecce, and my son came the last two weeks and is here with me in Madrid. And now we’re heading back to Miami, to a house we have there, to be with the family. For me, it’s a blessing to be a husband, father, and grandfather.”

“Your son, Andrés, has inherited your passion for music.” 

“Yes, he’s really into music, works as a professional DJ. My daughters Dominik and Daniella are actors and the third, Alessandra, is a model.”

Interview by Marta Gordillo  Photos by Fernando Junco