- Nominated for Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 21 GRAMS (2004)
- Scarlett Johansson and Benicio Del Toro were so smitten with each other at a pre-Oscars party, they didn't care about being spotted with their arms all over each other. (March 3, 2004)
- Was a basketball star and artist at Mercersburg Academy, but not an actor.
- Benico badly injured his wrist during a stunt fight during the filming of William Friedkin's THE HUNTED. He fell on his wrist as he dove for a knife and actor Tommy Lee Jones fell on top of him. He was injured so badly that he reportedly will be out of work for months, even though the film was virtually completed. He requires 3 hours of therapy daily and reportedly there is question whether he will regain full usage of the wrist.
- Burned himself with cigarettes repeatedly for the elevator scene in FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS because the real Oscar Zeta Acosta did as well. The shots of the burn were cut.
- Family urged him to become a lawyer because they felt there was no future in acting.
- Offered the role of Reinaldo Arenas in BEFORE NIGHT FALLS (2000) that eventually went to Javier Bardem. He turned it down to be in friend Christopher McQuarrie's THE WAY OF THE GUN (2000).
- Passionate about painting.
- Reportedly turned down the role of Frida Kahlo's husband Diego Rivera in FRIDA KAHLO (2001) because of the weight gain that would be required.
- Trade mark: Slurred, mumbling voice and odd mannerisms
- Is one of only four actors to have won an Academy Award for a part spoken mainly in a foreign language (most of Del Toro's dialogue is in Spanish). Sophia Loren, Robert De Niro, and Roberto Begnini are the other three.
- Broke his wrist while filming a fight scene in THE FIGHT (2001) with Tommy Lee Jones halting production for four months and pushing back the release date.
- His delivery of the line He'll flip ya'. Flip ya' for real is straight from the movie THELONIOUS MONK: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER (1989) about jazz pianist Thelonius Monk. Monk says the line himself. (THE USUAL SUSPECTS)
- In the scene of THE WAY OF THE GUN (2000) where he and Phillippe, Ryan are flipping through radio stations in the car, one of the brief news reports on the radio says something to the effect of: Director Singer was found molesting adolescents... - a reference to charges brought against Singer during the production of APT PUPIL (1998).
- He gained 40 pounds for his role as Dr. Gonzo in FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (1998)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role at BAFTA Awards for 21 GRAMS (2004)
- Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role at Screen Actors Guild Awards for 21 GRAMS (2004)
Quotes- "I'm not Jack Nicholson. I'm not Brando. But I do mumble."
- "My career went into the hole after Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. People might have seen what saw on screen and subconsciously, people in the business might have taken what they saw literally. I think people thought, he got fat. He got weird. His mumbling increased tenfold. I was trying to do an interpretation of a masterpiece of a book, and that's what the character was - an animal!"
- "Before I was ever in high school, I had dark circles under my eyes. The rumor was I was a junkie. I have dark circles under my eyes, deal with it."
Awards- Independent Spirit Awards: Special Distinction Award (2004)
- Venice Film Festival: Audience Award - Best Actor, 21 GRAMS (2003)
- Sundance Film Festival: Tribute to Independent Vision Award (2002)
- Vancouver Film Critics Circle: Best Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- National Society of Film Critics Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Online Film Critics Society Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Screen Actors Guild: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Imagen Foundation Awards: Lasting Image Award (2001)
- Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Berlin International Film Festival: Best Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Supporting Actor - Drama, TRAFFIC (2001)
- British Academy Award: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Chicago Film Critics Association Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Florida Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2001)
- Toronto Film Critics Association Awards: Best Actor, TRAFFIC (2000)
- Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2000)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, TRAFFIC (2000)
- Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: Sierra Award - Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2000)
- New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2000)
- San Diego Film Critics Society Awards: Best Supporting Actor, TRAFFIC (2000)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture, TRAFFIC (2000)
- Independent Spirit Awards: Best Supporting Male, BASQUIAT (1997)
- Independent Spirit Awards: Best Supporting Male, THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1996)
- National Board of Review: Best Ensemble Performance, THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995)
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