With dozens of complex characters and Oscars and BAFTAs to his credit, Benicio del Toro has established himself as one of the most talented actors of his generation. It is time to remember his beginnings, way back in 1987 when he was seen in the acclaimed series Miami Vice.
Every Hollywood star has their own story, but few are as interesting as Benicio del Toro’s. Growing up in Puerto Rico, del Toro had to deal with the loss of his mother and find his place in a world that seemed too harsh for the young man.
Benicio del Toro attended a private high school in the United States and later transferred to the University of California, San Diego. There, del Toro pretends to study business while secretly pursuing his newfound passion for acting with a tenacity that is truly admirable.
At that point, Benicio del Toro discovered a play presented by the theater department and auditioned for a role. He got the role, but had to change careers to get the part. Del Toro secretly began studying theater and pursuing his acting dreams in earnest.
It took years for del Toro’s family to approve of his decision, but in the meantime he gave himself wholeheartedly. After dropping out of UC San Diego, she later enrolled at the Stella Adler Acting Conservatory and studied with other talents such as Mark Ruffalo. Benicio del Toro knew that pursuing a career in acting would be a long and difficult road, but he finally found what he wanted to do with his life.
Benicio del Toro was 19 when he appeared on Miami Vice
Benicio del Toro plays Pito in Miami Vice
In 1987, 36 years ago, Benicio del Toro appeared on Everybody in Showbiz, the twenty-third and penultimate episode of Miami Vice’s third season. It premiered on May 1, 1987, and was repeated on July 1, 1988. There Benicio played the role of Pito and at age 19 was seen battling detectives so they would not detain his brother.
36 years later, Benicio del Toro’s career is wide-ranging and successful. In one of his most striking and recent roles, he was selected by Marvel to play the Collector. His first portrayal of the character was in the post-credits scene in the 2013 film Thor: The Dark World. Later, he appeared in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy, where the Collector is presented more extensively as an obsessive hoarder. The largest collection of interstellar creatures, relics and species in the galaxy operates from a place in space called Nowhere. Similarly, he returned to play the character in the third installment of the Marvel Avengers series, Avengers: Infinity War, which was the highest-grossing film of 2018.
