Antonio Banderas got down on his knees and rubbed his hands over his new Hollywood star on Tuesday, then stood up and reminisced warmly about the events that led to his being immortalized on the entertaiment capital's Walk of Fame.
"It was an honor and privilege to arrive to this country 16 years ago with almost no money in my pocket," the native of Spain recalled. "A lot has happened since then."
The star of such films as "Desperado" and "Mask of Zorro" recalled a time when he would return to his hotel each night and gaze out the window at a billboard.
"I could see the face of a beautiful woman, blond, pensive, with the New York skyline behind her," he recalled. "On the billboard was written, Melanie Griffith, 'Working Girl.'"
Griffith, who would be nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Working Girl," married Banderas in 1996.
Banderas, 45, got his start with Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, starring in a handful of Spanish-language hits like "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" and "Matador."
He had his first English-speaking role with "The Mambo Kings," then moved on to major roles in movies like "Philadelphia," "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles" and the animated "Shrek 2."
Banderas is the 2,294th person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.