Actor born February 19, 1967 in Santurce,
Puerto Rico to
lawyer parents.
Benicio is Hollywood's latest "It" boy having made memorable performances in films such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Usual Suspects, and most recently Traffic and Snatch, a movie directed by Guy Ritchie, Madonna's hubby.
Benicio got his start making guest appearances on television shows like Miami Vice and in a mini-series called Drug Wars: The Kiki Camarena Story. His first feature film performance was as "Duke the Dog-Faced Boy," in the sequel to Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Big Top Pee-Wee. It was all uphill from there.
His exotic (read: non white) good looks and heavy lidded bedroom eyes lead one critic to compare del Toro to "James Dean channeling Ricardo Montalban." In actuality he exudes an agressive and smoldering sexuality that makes Brad Pitt look like a pansy.
Credits
Actor
Traffic — 2000
The Way of the Gun — 2000
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas — 1998
Excess Baggage — 1997
Basquiat — 1996
The Fan — 1996
The Funeral — 1996
The Usual Suspects — 1995
Swimming With Sharks — 1994
China Moon — 1994
Golden Balls — 1993
Fearless — 1993
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery — 1992
The Indian Runner — 1991
Licence to Kill — 1989
Big Top Pee-Wee — 1988
License to Kill — 1984
Director
Submission — 1995
Screenwriter
Submission — 1995
TV
Drug Wars: The Kiki Camarena Story — 1989 (miniseries)
Tales From the Crypt — 1989 (episode: "The Bribe")
Hard Copy — 1987 (episode)
Miami Vice — 1987 (episode: "Everybody's in Showbiz")
O'Hara — 1987 (episode)
Shell Game — 1987 (episode)