Benicio Del Toro Biography

Although he eagerly gained 40 pounds for his role in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, Del Toro was reluctant to take the part of Diego Rivera in “Frida”, the biopic of Frida Kahlo, due to the required weight gain.

Del Toro burned himself with cigarettes repeatedly for the elevator scene in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), as done by the real Oscar Zeta Acosta. The shots of the burns were nevertheless cut.

Del Toro is passionate about oil painting.

He was the youngest person ever to portray a villain in a James Bond film.

He won the 2003 Audience Award for Best Actor at the Venice International Film Festival for his role in "21 Grams" and was the third Puerto Rican actor to win an Academy Award.