Tuesday January 23, 2001

Benicio Del Toro

He's Hollywood's hottest scene-stealer - who's turning his edgy roles into gold. You may not recognize the name, but with three movies in theaters, and loads of Oscar buzz for his Mexican drug cop role in "Traffic." Benicio Del Toro is making headlines acting along side Hollywood's biggest names.

"It's like being in the all stars everyone is better then the next."

In "Traffic" the 33 year-old gritty actor teams up with an ensemble cast which includes Oscar-winner Michael Douglas. "Snatch" may feature heart-throb Brad Pitt but Benicio, who plays diamond thief "Franky Four Fingers," is full of surprises.

And when intense actor-turned-director Sean Penn cast his film "The Pledge," Penn tracked Benicio down in London and asked him to join the cast, which stars Jack Nicholson. Benicio says, "Jack Nicholson came up to me and goes, 'You're hotter than a pistol.'"

Well, he may be hot today but it's taken Del Toro close to 15 years to become almost famous. This Puerto Rican born star broke into show biz in 1984 with a guest spot on "Miami Vice." From there, Benicio went on to play a wild cast of characters from the mumbling Fenster in "The Usual Suspects" to the tubby Doctor Gonzo in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." For that role Benicio had to gain 45 pounds. He says, "I have fun in all the films I do."

But now, after years of struggling, the traffic-stopping star is the toast of tinseltown. But Benicio is still humble. "You're only as good as your film. So it's terrific to be in a film that is terrific."

But will this terrific film earn Benicio an Oscar? He says, "If it happens, great, if it doesn't happen, well, the work is done."

No matter what happens at the Oscars, this serious yet sexy star is becoming one of Hollywood's most wanted.

For more on Benicio Del Toro, check out Detour magazine this month.