Del Toro, Benicio 1967–

(Benicio Del Torrio)

PERSONAL

Full name, Benicio Del Toro Monserrate Rafael Sanchez; born February 19, 1967, in Santurce (some sources cite San German), Puerto Rico; raised in Puerto Rico and Pennsylvania; son of Gustavo (a lawyer and farmer) and Fausta Sanchez (a lawyer) Del Toro; stepson of Wilma Del Toro. Education: Studied business, acting, and painting at the University of California, San Diego; studied acting at the Circle in the Square Professional School, the Actors Circle Theatre, and Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting, and with Stella Adler and Arthur Mendoza. Avocational Interests: Oil painting, listening to music, daydreaming.

Addresses: Agent—IFA Talent Agency, 8730 Sunset Blvd., Suite 490, Los Angeles, CA 90069; Markham and Froggatt Agency, 4 Windmill St., London W1T 2HZ, England. Manager—The Firm, 9465 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 600, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Publicist—PMK/HBH Public Relations, 700 San Vicente Blvd., Suite G910, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (some sources cite 8500 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Beverly Hills, CA 90211). Contact—c/o BDT Mail, P.O. Box 1712, New York, NY 10021.

Career: Actor, producer, and writer. Appeared in advertisements and public service announcements.

Awards, Honors: National Board of Review Award (with others), best acting by an ensemble, 1995, and Independent Spirit Award, best supporting male, Independent Features Project/West, 1996, both for The Usual Suspects; Bravo Award nomination, outstanding actor in a feature film, National Council of La Raza, 1996, for The Fan; Independent Spirit Award, best supporting male, 1997, for Basquiat; ALMA Award nomination, outstanding individual performance in a crossover role in a feature film, American Latin Media Arts awards, 1998, for Excess Baggage; New York Film Critics Circle Award, best supporting actor, Toronto Film Critics Association Award, best actor, Sierra Award, best supporting actor, Las Vegas Film Critics Society, and San Diego Film Critics Society Award, best supporting actor, all 2000, Academy Award, best actor in a supporting role, Golden Globe Award, best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a motion picture, Screen Actors Guild Award, outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role, Film Award, best performance by an actor in a supporting role, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, National Society of Film Critics Award, best supporting actor, Chicago Film Critics Association Award, best supporting actor, Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award, best supporting actor, Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award, best actor, Southeastern Film Critics Association Award, best supporting actor, Florida Film Critics Circle Award, best supporting actor, Blockbuster Entertainment Award, favorite supporting actor—drama, Online Film Critics Society Award, best supporting actor, Silver Berlin Bear, best actor, Berlin International Film Festival, Screen Actors Guild Award (with others), outstanding performance by the cast of a theatrical motion picture, and Golden Satellite Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a supporting role, drama, International Press Academy, all 2001, and Empire Award nomination, best actor, 2002, all for Traffic; Lasting Image Award, Imagen Foundation Awards, 2001; ALMA Award nomination, outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture, 2002, for The Pledge; Tribute to Independent Vision Award, Sundance Film Festival, 2002; Audience Award, best actor, Venice Film Festival, 2003, Special Distinction Award (with others), Independent Spirit awards, Phoenix Film Critics Award (with others), best ensemble acting, Academy Award nomination, best actor in a supporting role, Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a supporting role, drama, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award nomination, best supporting actor, 2004, and Film Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a leading role, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, all 2004, all for 21 Grams; named one of the "top ten greatest actors of our generation," GQ magazine, 2005.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Duke (the dog-faced boy), Big Top Pee-Wee, Paramount, 1988.

Dario, License to Kill (also known as Albert R. Broccoli's "License to Kill," Licence to Kill, and License Revoked), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1989.

Miguel, The Indian Runner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Pathe, 1991.

Alvaro Harana, Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (also known as Cristobal Colon: el descubrimiento), Warner Bros., 1992.

Bon (the friend from Miami), Huevos de oro (also known as Golden Balls, Macho, and Uova d'oro), Lola Films, 1993.

Dino Palladino, Money for Nothing, Buena Vista, 1993.

Manny Rodrigo, Fearless, Warner Bros., 1993.

Lamar Dickey, China Moon (also known as Lune rouge), Orion, 1994.

Fred Fenster, The Usual Suspects (also known as Die Ueblichen Verdaechtigen), Gramercy Pictures, 1995.

Rex, Swimming with Sharks (also known as The Boss and The Buddy Factor), Trimark Pictures, 1995.

Himself, Cannes Man (also known as Canne$ Man and Con Man), Vine International, 1996.

Benny Dalmau, Basquiat (also known as Build a Fort, Set It on Fire), Miramax, 1996.

Gaspare Spoglia, The Funeral, October Films, 1996.

Juan Primo, The Fan, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1996.

Detective Lopez, Joyride, Live Entertainment/Showcase Entertainment, 1997.

Vincent Roche, Excess Baggage, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1997.

Oscar Zeta Acosta (Dr. Gonzo), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Universal, 1998.

(Uncredited) Himself, Bread and Roses (also known as Pan y rosas), Lions Gate Films, 2000.

Frankie Four Fingers, Snatch (also known as Snatch: Pigs and Diamonds), Screen Gems, 2000.

Longbaugh, The Way of the Gun, Artisan Entertainment, 2000.

The Pledge, Warner Bros., 2000.

Javier Rodriguez, Traffic (also known as Traffic—Die Macht des Kartells), USA Films, 2001.

Toby Jay Wadenah, The Pledge, Warner Bros., 2001.

Himself, The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema (documentary), 2002.

Himself, Film Trix 2002 (documentary), Cornukopia Entertainment/Lowbar Productions, 2002.

Julia, toda en mi… (documentary; also known as Julia: All In Me), Paradiso Films, 2002.

Aaron Hallam, The Hunted, Paramount, 2003.

Himself, Breakfast with Hunter (documentary), 2003.

Himself, Declaration of Independence (short documentary), 2003.

Himself, Hunter Goes to Hollywood (short documentary), Gonzo International/Wayne Ewing Films, 2003.

Jack Jordan, 21 Grams, Focus Features, 2003.

Himself, Creature Features: 50 Years of the Gill-Man (documentary), 2004.

Himself, In Search of Ted Demme (documentary), IFC Films, 2005.

Ernesto "Che" Guevara (title role), Che, Focus Features/River Road Entertainment, 2005.

Jackie Boy, Sin City (also known as Frank Miller's "Sin City"), Dimension Films, 2005.

The Lost City, Lions Gate Films, c. 2005.

Film Work:

Director and producer, Submission (short film), 1995.

Producer, Che, Focus Features/River Road Entertainment, 2005.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Rafael Caro Quintero, Drug Wars: The Camarena Story, NBC, 1990.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Himself, Inside Traffic: The Making of "Traffic" (documentary), 2000.

Himself, America: A Tribute to Heroes, multiple networks, 2001.

Independence Day 2001, ABC, 2001.

Himself, Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (documentary), Westerns Channel, 2004.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Himself, The 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Fox, 2000.

(As Benicio del Torrio) Presenter, The 2000 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2000.

Chair, The 16th Annual IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards, Independent Film Channel, 2001.

Himself, The Seventh Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT, 2001.

Himself, The 73rd Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2001.

The 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 2001.

Himself, The 74th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2002.

Himself, The 76th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2004.

Himself, The 10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT, 2004.

Himself, The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards, Independent Film Channel, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Blue Movie," Private Eye, NBC, 1987.

"Everybody's in Showbiz," Miami Vice, NBC, 1987.

Ohara, ABC, 1987.

Shell Game, CBS, 1987.

Dario, "License to Kill," James Bond, Jr. (animated), syndicated, c. 1991.

Bill, "The Bribe," Tales from the Crypt (also known as HBO's "Tales from the Crypt"), HBO, 1994.

Paco, "Good Housekeeping," Fallen Angels (also known as Perfect Crimes), Showtime, 1995.

The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 2001.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2001.

Himself, Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo, 2002.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2003.

Himself, Eigo de shabera-night, NHK (Japan), 2004.

Himself, T4, Channel 4, 2004.

Himself, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC, 2004, 2005.

Himself, Icons, G4techTV, 2005.

Himself, Le grand journal de Canal+, Canal+ (France), 2005.

Stage Appearances:

Phillip, Orphans, Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA, 1987.

Jeep, Action, Festival of the Arts, Lincoln Center, New York City, c. 1987.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Himself, Inside "Licence to Kill" (short documentary), 1999.

Himself, Behind the Scenes: "Way of the Gun" (short documentary), Artisan Entertainment, 2000.

Himself, Keyser Soze: Lie or Legend? (short documentary), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment, 2002.

Himself, Round Up: Deposing "The Usual Suspects" (documentary), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment, 2002.

Music Videos:

Madonna, "La Isla Bonita," 1986.

WRITINGS

Screenplays:

Submission (short film), 1995.

Wrote the screenplay for Green Song.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Contemporary Hispanic Biography, Volume 2, Gale, 2002.

Newsmakers, Issue 4, Gale, 2001.

Periodicals:

Blast, April, 1998, pp. 8-9.

Entertainment Weekly, February 23, 2001, p. 66; February 6, 2004, p. 60.

Guardian, February 14, 2004.

Independent Arts and Books Review, February 20, 2004, pp. 8-9.

Newsweek, January 15, 1996, pp. 60-63; January 8, 2001, p. 63.

Parade, February 23, 2003, p. 8.

People Weekly, April 16, 2001, p. 69; May 14, 2001, p. 86.

Washington Post, March 15, 2003, pp. C1, C4.