Melanie Griffith Celebrates Daughter Stella Banderas’ Engagement to Alex Gruszynski

Melanie Griffith is celebrating something special!

Stella Banderas shows off her engagement ring.

Melanie Griffith/Instagram

On Tuesday, Aug. 20, the actress, 67, shared the happy news on Instagram that her daughter Stella Banderas is engaged to entrepreneur Alex Gruszynski.

Alongside several black-and-white photos of the couple, Griffith briefly reflected on their journey from childhood friends to soon-to-be husband and wife.

“He asked…. On bended knee… she said yes ♥️ Stella and Alex are engaged to be married ♥️,” the Working Girl star wrote in the post’s caption. “Their love story began in pre-school! True love, deep love! Congratulations to the beloveds!!! ♥️💥♥️💫♥️.”

One of the photos showed Stella and Gruszynski — who is the co-founder and CEO of NOVA, a marketplace for creative freelancers — enjoying a picnic on the grass together. In other pics, Stella flashed her sparkly new engagement ring for the camera.

Stella — whom Griffith shares with ex-husband Antonio Banderas — also announced the engagement on her own Instagram page. Her post included a carousel of photos featuring both throwbacks of herself and her fiancé from childhood as well as more recent pics, including a shot of the pair kissing on a couch.

“I get to hang out with my favorite person on earth forever!!!!!!!! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍 ,” she wrote in the caption.

Her mom Melanie commented on the post, “I love you both sooooo much!! Congratulations again!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️.”

Other famous friends also left well-wishes including Kris Jenner, who wrote, Congratulations!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.” Derek Blasberg commented, “Congratulations, Stella! ❤️,” and later added: “And Alex, ha!”

Over the years, Stella — who describes herself as a “filmmaker” on her Instagram bio — has collaborated with her parents on several projects. She served as second assistant director for her father’s Spanish-language production of the Stephen Sondheim musical Company, which he directed and starred in beginning in November 2021.

At the time, Antonio, 64, opened up about the special opportunity to work alongside his daughter. “When we walk home after rehearsals is when she really does her work,” he told reporters of Stella, per Reuters. “When we’re at home maybe having dinner is when I ask her very direct questions and that’s when I get very direct answers about what she’s seeing.”

That same year, Stella joined her mom in front of the camera to star in a short film for Vogue and luxury jeweler Bulgari. The pair spoke to Vogue about their special bond, and Griffith marveled at the experience of seeing her daughter grow up and blossom into a confident and “brave” woman over the years.

“I’ve watched her go from being this, at times, scared little girl afraid to go to a new school, turn into this amazing woman who’s launching her own business, doing so many different things, and just being so brave. And opinionated,” she told the outlet.

For her part, Stella shared an important lesson she learned from her mom. “My mother has always emphasized the importance of having a good, loving relationship with myself,” she told Vogue. “One way of doing this was by encouraging me to have sort of an open dialogue with my higher self, or God, or the universe. She often says, ‘Ask for wisdom.’ “