Spanish-born actor Antonio Banderas has been tapped to play legendary Spanish painter Pablo Picasso for the second season of National Geographic’s series Genius in a report originally published by Deadline.
Genius is an anthology series focusing on showing another side to the lives of history’s enigmatic figures. The debut season saw Geoffrey Rush portray Albert Einstein, helping the series score ten Emmy nominations including Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series.
It’s easy to see why Banderas would take on the role of the painter. Despite having received three Golden Globe nominations throughout his career Banderas has yet to win. He last was nominated in 2004 for playing another real-life figure, Pancho Villa in And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself. Banderas as Picasso would certainly be an easy way to score an Emmy, though that’s not to discount the appeal of playing Picasso. One of the most prolific artists of the 20th century, stretching 80 years, Picasso influenced various art movements, including cubism and surrealism. He dabbled in being a French Communist, was a critic of the Korean War, and received the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962. He was also married twice (keeping several mistresses on the side).
It’s unknown when production on Genius season two will commence. Banderas currently has eight films scheduled for release this year into next.