Benicio Del Toro was born on February 19, 1967 in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He began acting in the late-80s on shows like Miami Vice. He appeared in many films but gained critical acclaim for his performance in The Usual Suspects in 1995.
Del Toro won his first Oscar for his role in the film Traffic. He played a
Mexican border cop trying to remain honest amidst rampant corruption. He was only the third Puerto Rican to win an Oscar.
Did you know…
- He was engaged to Valeria Golino from 1988-1992
- Del Toro means "of the bull" in Spanish
- He was a basketball star in college
- He gained 40 pounds for his role in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
- His nickname is Beno
- His mother died when he was nine
