I just posted a little tidbit about Antonio Banderas doing nude scenes as he turns 50 years old, so I thought I’d post a few stills from "The Code" (said movie in which he strips down).

Also known as "Thick as Thieves," "The Code" bypassed theaters and went straight to DVD yesterday. The story follows a veteran thief, Keith Ripley (Morgan Freeman), who recruits a younger crook, Gabriel Martin (Antonio Banderas), to help him pull one final job so he can repay his debt to the Russian mob. But what Ripley doesn’t know is that the younger crook is actually a Miami cop working with the NYPD to bring him to justice.

Gabriel gets involved in a romance with Ripley’s goddaughter, Alexandra (Radha Mitchell). When they get around to pulling the final job, a Russian mobster kidnaps the goddaughter and demands two Faberge eggs stolen in return.

Directed by Mimi Leder (a veteran filmmaker whose credits go back to "China Beach" and "Hill Street Blues"), "The Code" is rated R for sexuality, language and some nudity. With Freeman and Banderas, it sounds like a lovely game of cat-and-mouse shenanigans. Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

More pics after the jump…

Read more

Movie stud Antonio Banderas has been known for showing some skin in his movie roles – well, at least taking his shirt off! But as he gets closer to 50, he’s a little leery of getting naked on screen.

Sure, he does it for his love scenes with Radha Mitchell in the upcoming crime drama The Code, but he wasn’t exactly comfortable with it.

He told the New York Post: "It’s always uneasy when you get into bed with a woman on screen. It’s difficult because you have 50 people around, and there are some people who are sensitive to that." 

He said he wanted to be as respectful to Mitchell as possible. "At the same time, I’m nearly 50 years old, and even I start getting more wary of those scenes. Everything changes as you get older - your mind, your body, the way you view the world."

Well, he still looks darn good to me, but I think it would be really weird getting naked onscreen with someone who’s not your real-life partner. All part of the acting process, I guess.

Image: Antonio Banderas as master thief Gabriel in "The Code," courtesy of First Look Studios, photo by Eric Liebowitz; Source: WENN

It seems that just about everyone in Hollywood is involved in the latest Woody Allen movie. And who wouldn’t be, if given the chance? I’ve heard that actors spend their entire careers hoping to score a part in a Woody Allen film, and the director isn’t getting any younger. Just sayin’…

Now Antonio Banderas has just signed to co-star in Allen’s new movie, joining Freido Pinto, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins. Shooting is scheduled to begin this summer.

But to get your fix sooner, check out Allen’s "Whatever Works,” being released by Sony Pictures on June 23. I think people either get Woody Allen or they don’t. I’m in the “get” camp. 

Image: DreamWorks Distribution

Here’s my shameless paparazzi video of the day: Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith out to lunch with their daughter. You hardly ever see these two together. Are they still “together”? I hope so, because they’re really cute as a couple (well, individually, too!). Long-time fan of Melanie Griffith here.