Antonio Banderas, Alejandro Sanz to sing duet

Antonio Banderas announced that at the fourth Starlite benefit gala, which will be held on Aug. 10 in the southern Spanish resort city of Marbella, the actor will sing with Alejandro Sanz.

Sanz said in a taped video segment that he was proud to be part of the event and to receive the Starlite Gala 2013 Humanitarian Award.

 “Antonio, you’re not going to escape and you’re going to sing a song with me,” he said at the end of the message, to which Banderas then blurted out laughing, “You guys are crazy to make me sing! But for the gala I’ll do whatever. And for a million euros I’ll strip naked.”

 Just like every year, the funds collected from the gala will go to the foundation Banderas heads – Lagrimas y Favores – and to the Niños de la Alegria foundation headed by Sandra Garcia-Sanjuan and Mexican businesswoman Alejandra Aleman.

 Bandaras said in a statement that he appreciates the fact that the artists participating in the gala “work for free.”The challenge for next year is to open Starlite “to the public so that it can grow,” the actor emphasized, adding that he was sure it would increase its scope and also that the public in Marbella would participate in its aims and in the party associated with it.

 Banderas concluded in an attempt to downplay that fact that he is the most recognized face linked with Starlite by saying, “It’s a team effort. I couldn’t do anything alone.”