Benicio del Toro spent his childhood living in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico (via Esquire). His father, Gustavo, came from a working-class background, while his mother, Fausta, was part of a well-to-do family. Del Toro’s earliest years were marked by tragedy, and his mother died of hepatitis when he was just 9 years old. According to del Toro, his family found a way to enjoy their time together despite the sad situation. “There was a sense of looking at what was coming straight in the face and at the same time just enjoying life,” he told Esquire.
In more ways than one, that time in del Toro’s life has defined him. It changed the way that he thinks about life, death, and the meaning of it all, but it also played a big role in getting him involved in acting. In an interview with FeatsPress, del Toro explained that his earliest experiences of performance came from entertaining his mother when she was sick. “The performances I would do to make her laugh were probably my first acting efforts,” he said. After her death, del Toro and his father grew closer, and the two of them learned to appreciate the good in life, despite the inevitability of loss. Del Toro’s ability to find humor and love even in the darkest of places is part of what makes him such an incredible actor, and he owes it to his mother.
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