Antonio Banderas might become the next Fidel Castro—at least in the big screen. The “Puss in Boots” star is in talks with the producers of “Castro’s Daughter,” a film about the life story of Alina Fernández, the love child between the Cuban dictator and Naty Revuelta, a Cuban socialite. Trade publication Screen Daily reports that Fernández was excited about the possibility of having Banderas on board. “I have been a huge fan of Antonio for years,” said the author. “[I ] hope to see him play my father.”
Férnandez, who fled Cuba in 1993 and strongly disagrees with Castro’s regime, said she loves Banderas’ “phenomenal charisma.”“He has the nerve to play the role perfectly,” she told Screen Daily. The film is based on Fernández’s book, “Castro's Daughter, An Exile's Memoir of Cuba,” and will give viewers an inside look at the father-daughter dynamic between Castro and Fernández. "While the book is an amazing account of Alina’s life, we decided to take it to the next step,” Mankind Entertainment Producer John Torres told FOX News Latino. “[We’ll] focus more on the more universal parts of the story that would appeal to audiences worldwide, which is her relationship with her father, and her coming of age.
Torres says Mankind Entertainment purchased the rights of the book and looks forward to showing “the former communist leader, and his rebel-spirited daughter.”“Castro’s Daughter” will be directed by Michael Radford and was co-written by Bobby Moresco, known for his award winning screenplay for “Crash.” Screen Daily adds that Fernández will be “consulting throughout the casting and production process.”Torres believes Castro might enjoy the movie.
"He may actually find the film entertaining, Torres said. “This isn't a war story, nor is there any political agenda.”“There is an intimacy about the film,” Torres adds. “It is the dramatic story of a girl, Alina."Fernández, not only deals with growing pains, but also with disagreements in her family life that lead to her eventual escape – to liberate herself and, eventually, her daughter.”Filming for “Castro’s Daughter” is set to begin in Puerto Rico. “This is a hope-filled story," Torres said. "Of one woman's self-liberation.”