Who Is Benicio del Toro? Age, Biography and Wiki
Benicio del Toro was born on February 19, 1967, making him 58 years old in 2025. He is a highly acclaimed Puerto Rican actor, producer, and director, known for his versatile roles in both independent films and major blockbusters. With a career spanning over three decades, del Toro has received numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Traffic."
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 19, 1967 |
| Age | 58 Years |
| Birth Place | San German, Puerto Rico |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | Puerto Rico |
Popularity
Benicio del Toro's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Benicio del Toro stands at an impressive height of 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) and has an athletic build. As of 2025, he weighs approximately 215 pounds (98 kg). His distinct features, including his dark hair and piercing eyes, contribute to his dynamic on-screen presence. While exact measurements can vary, his style often reflects a rugged yet sophisticated charm.
Del Toro's performances in four films in 2000 gained him a mainstream audience. First, the crime yarn The Way of the Gun reunited him with The Usual Suspects screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie. A few months later, he stood out among a first-rate ensemble cast in Steven Soderbergh's Traffic, a complex dissection of the North American drug wars.
As Javier Rodriguez—a Mexican border policeman struggling to remain honest amid the corruption and deception of illegal drug trafficking—del Toro, who spoke most of his lines in Spanish, gave a performance that dominated the film. His performance swept all of the major critics' awards in 2001.
Del Toro won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, becoming the fourth living Oscar winner whose winning role was a character who speaks predominantly in a non-English language. Del Toro is also the third Puerto Rican actor to win an Oscar, after Jose Ferrer and Rita Moreno.
The year he won his Oscar marked the first time that two actors born in Puerto Rico were nominated in the same category (the other actor was Joaquin Phoenix). In his acceptance speech, del Toro thanked the people of both Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora and dedicated his award to them.
In addition to the Oscar, he also won the Golden Globe Award and the Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Traffic was also a success at the box office.
This was soon followed by a small role as the diamond thief Franky Four Fingers in Guy Ritchie's hip caper comedy Snatch and a role as a mentally challenged Native American man in The Pledge, directed by his old friend Sean Penn.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As of 2025, Benicio del Toro has maintained a relatively private personal life. He was previously in a long-term relationship with actress Kimberly Stewart, with whom he shares a daughter. While there has been speculation about his dating life, he has not publicly confirmed a boyfriend or a girlfriend, choosing to keep such matters under wraps. Del Toro values his family and often cites them as a source of support throughout his career.
He spent most of his infancy in Santurce, a barrio within San Juan. Del Toro, whose childhood nicknames were "Skinny Benny" and "Beno", was raised a Roman Catholic and attended Academia del Perpetuo Socorro (The Academy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help), a Roman Catholic school in Miramar, Puerto Rico.
When del Toro was nine years old, his mother died of hepatitis. At age 15, he moved with his father and brother to Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, where he was enrolled at the Mercersburg Academy. He spent his adolescence and attended high school there.
After graduation, del Toro followed the advice of his father and pursued a business degree at the University of California, San Diego.
Success in an elective drama course encouraged him to drop out of college and study with noted acting teachers Stella Adler and Arthur Mendoza, in Los Angeles, as well as at the Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City.
Net Worth and Salary
Benicio del Toro's estimated net worth in 2025 is approximately $50 million. His wealth has been accumulated through diverse roles in film and television, as well as through various endorsements and business investments. His salary for acting projects reportedly ranges from $5 million to $10 million per film, depending on the size and scope of the project.
Career, Business and Investments
Del Toro's career took off with critically acclaimed performances in films like "The Usual Suspects," "21 Grams," and "Sicario." In addition to acting, he has also ventured into producing and directing, showcasing his multifaceted talent. Benicio has made strategic investments in various ventures, including film production companies and real estate, which contribute to his impressive net worth.
His career gained momentum in 1995 with his breakout performance in The Usual Suspects, where he played the mumbling, wisecracking Fred Fenster. The role won him an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male and established him as a character actor.
This led to stronger roles in independent and major studio films, including playing Gaspare in Abel Ferrara's The Funeral (1996) and winning a second consecutive Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his work as Benny Dalmau in Basquiat (1996), directed by his friend, film-maker and painter Julian Schnabel.
Del Toro also shared the screen with Robert De Niro in the big-budget thriller The Fan (1996), in which he played Juan Primo, a charismatic Puerto Rican baseball star. He subsequently starred opposite Alicia Silverstone in Excess Baggage (1997), which Silverstone produced. For Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the 1998 film adaptation of Hunter S.
Thompson's famous book, he gained more than 40 lbs. (about 18 kg) to play Dr. Gonzo (a.k.a. Oscar Zeta Acosta), Thompson's lawyer and drug-fiend cohort. The surrealistic film, directed by Terry Gilliam, has earned a cult following over the years.
Social Network
Benicio del Toro is active on social media platforms where he shares glimpses of his life and career. While he prefers to keep a low profile compared to many of his celebrity peers, he engages with fans occasionally through Instagram and Twitter. His social media presence gives fans insight into his recent projects and personal interests.
Del Toro surfaced in small television roles during the late 1980s, playing mostly thugs and drug dealers on programs such as Miami Vice and the NBC miniseries Drug Wars: The Camarena Story. He appeared in the 1987 music video for Madonna's song "La Isla Bonita" as a background character sitting on a car hood.
Film roles followed, beginning with his debut in Big Top Pee-wee (1988) and as Dario in the James Bond film Licence to Kill (1989). Del Toro continued to appear in film including The Indian Runner (1991), China Moon (1994), Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992), Money for Nothing (1993), Fearless (1993) and Swimming with Sharks (1994).
Education
Del Toro attended the University of California, San Diego, where he studied acting alongside various artistic disciplines. His education laid the groundwork for his successful career in the film industry, equipping him with the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of acting and storytelling.
