Benicio Del Toro on His Leading Role in Wes Anderson's New Film, "The Phoenician Scheme"

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Benicio Del Toro on His Leading Role in Wes Anderson's New Film, 'The Phoenician Scheme'"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist
• Host: Willie Geist, Sunday TODAY
• Episode Feature: Benicio Del Toro discussing his role in Wes Anderson's latest film, "The Phoenician Scheme."
• Release Date: June 8, 2025

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Introduction to the Episode

Willie Geist opens the episode by introducing Benicio Del Toro, highlighting his illustrious career and his pivotal role in Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme." Geist emphasizes the film's return to the whimsical and intricate storytelling characteristic of Anderson's work, drawing parallels to "The Royal Tenenbaums."

---

Discussion on "The Phoenician Scheme"

[03:10] Willie Geist:
"I just finished watching the Phoenician Scheme. It is vintage Wes Anderson. One of his best, I would say, as a fan of his work."

Benicio Del Toro delves into his character, Shahja Korda, describing the emotional core of the film centered around the strained relationship between a father and his daughter. He emphasizes the character's evolution from a ruthless businessman to a more compassionate individual, stating:

[03:28] Benicio Del Toro:
"He becomes... He's probably a better version of himself."

Geist and Del Toro discuss the film's blend of action and emotional depth, with Del Toro noting the balance Wes Anderson strikes between humor and heart.

---

Collaborative Process with Wes Anderson

Del Toro shares insights into his collaborative relationship with Wes Anderson, highlighting Anderson's meticulous direction and creative improvisations:

[05:24] Benicio Del Toro:
"Wes never put it like that. He never said, 'I'm writing something for you.' That would have scared the hell out of me."

He recounts the process of developing a particularly intricate scene involving a polygraph device, showcasing the director's unique vision and attention to detail.

---

Experiences on Set and Working with the Cast

The conversation shifts to the ensemble cast of "The Phoenician Scheme," including notable mentions of actors like Bill Murray, Tom Hanks, and Bryan Cranston. Del Toro shares anecdotes, such as Bill Murray's memorable entrance with a boombox, underscoring the vibrant and dynamic environment on set.

[19:15] Willie Geist:
"And for a visual for people watching, he's dressed as God in a robe. The beard, the hair, the whole thing with the boombox. That's perfect, isn't it?"

Del Toro expresses his admiration for his co-stars and the camaraderie shared during filming, emphasizing the enriching experience of working with such seasoned actors.

---

Benicio Del Toro’s Journey to Acting

Del Toro transitions to his personal journey, discussing his early life in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the pivotal moments that led him to acting. He shares the influence of his godmother and his passion for basketball, which initially drew him to the YMCA's basketball courts.

[22:44] Benicio Del Toro:
"I just couldn't go to law school. I wasn't, I wasn't a reader. I mean, you have to read."

He recounts the challenges of moving to Pennsylvania at 13 and the impact of his mother's passing, which shaped his resilience and determination to pursue acting despite familial expectations.

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Breaking into the Industry and Career Milestones

Del Toro reflects on his early struggles in Hollywood, including his breakthrough roles in "James Bond" and "The Usual Suspects." He discusses the fluctuating nature of an acting career and the importance of perseverance:

[34:06] Benicio Del Toro:
"You can get a job and then sit for a while, and that's when you can get really cold feet and start second guessing yourself."

Winning an Academy Award for "Traffic" marked a significant turning point, enhancing his standing in the industry and providing him with greater leverage in choosing roles.

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Selection Process for Roles

When asked about his criteria for selecting roles, Del Toro emphasizes the importance of the director and the quality of the script. He values collaboration with passionate filmmakers and remains selective to maintain the integrity of his career.

[39:21] Benicio Del Toro:
"The first thing is who's directing it. Yeah, you know, that’s going to be like, that's going to be the key to opening. Perhaps exploring the character."

He highlights the balance between trusting his instincts and valuing the advice of his long-time manager and agent.

---

Future Aspirations and Giving Back

Looking ahead, Del Toro expresses interest in supporting young filmmakers and potentially exploring roles behind the camera. He underscores the importance of mentorship and nurturing new talent in the industry.

[41:02] Benicio Del Toro:
"One thing I like to do is give young filmmakers a chance."

Additionally, he shares his commitment to giving back to Puerto Rico, reflecting his deep-rooted connection to his heritage and community.

---

Closing Remarks

Willie Geist concludes the episode by praising Del Toro's contributions to both cinema and his philanthropic efforts in Puerto Rico. He invites listeners to watch "The Phoenician Scheme" and stay tuned for future episodes.

---

Notable Quotes

• Benicio Del Toro on Character Evolution:
  "[Zsa Zsa] becomes... He's probably a better version of himself."
  [03:28]

• On Working with Wes Anderson:
  "That's what it feels like to work for Wes Anderson, because, you know, you're in the hands of a master."
  [05:26]

• Reflecting on Career Breakthrough:
  "You can get a job and then sit for a while, and that's when you can get really cold feet and start second guessing yourself."
  [34:06]

• Selection Criteria for Roles:
  "The first thing is who's directing it. Yeah, you know, that’s going to be like, that's going to be the key to opening."
  [39:21]

• Giving Back to Filmmakers:
  "One thing I like to do is give young filmmakers a chance."
  [41:02]

---

Conclusion

This episode of "Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist" offers a deep dive into Benicio Del Toro's latest project, his journey in the film industry, and his personal philosophies on acting and collaboration. Del Toro's candid reflections provide listeners with an intimate look at the dedication and passion that fuel his acclaimed performances.

Transcript

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[Benicio Del Toro]

Hey.

[Willie Geist]

Guys, Willie Geist here with another episode of the Sunday Sit down podcast. My thanks as always for clicking and listening along. Got a great one for you this week with an Academy award winner. Yes, Mr. Benicio Del Toro. He's had an incredible career and an incredible life story that you probably don't know that much about. I was excited to sit down with him because he's starring, he's the lead in the new Wes Anderson movie, the Phoenician Scheme. If you love Wes Anderson, you are going to absolutely be thrilled by this movie because it gets back to kind of the royal Tenenbaum vibe of Wes Anderson. All his movies are great in some way, but the story of this one centers around a man named Zsaza Korda who has a little royal Tenenbaum in him, in that he's very flawed, he's very wealthy, and in this case, there's an assassination attempt against him about every 15 minutes of the movie as he tries to figure out this scheme and reconcile with his family. It's really, really great. And a big leading role for Benio Del Toro. He absolutely nails it. You know, he won an Oscar for his performance in Traffic. He was in 21 grams, fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Snatch. The list goes on and on and on. He's had an incredible career. He grew up in a neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Mother died when he was very young. When he's 13 years old, he moves up to rural Pennsylvania. His family moves up that way. He goes to a boarding school that's really kind of halfway between Philly and Pittsbur. A great School. Jimmy Stewart went there, by the way. The great legend of Hollywood. Now another legend of Hollywood, Benicio Del Toro. But he talks about how difficult that was and trying to find his people as an athlete. He didn't even find the theater and the stage or acting at all until he went to college and he was off to the races from there. I think you'll really enjoy sitting and spending some time with a guy that you probably love on the screen, but don't hear a lot from or about behind the scenes. So sit back, relax, and enjoy right now, my conversation with Benicio Del Toro on the Sunday Sit down podcast. Benicio, great to see you.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Thank you.

[Willie Geist]

Willie, thanks for doing this.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Thank you.

[Willie Geist]

I just finished watching the Phoenician Scheme. It is vintage Wes Anderson. One of his best, I would say, as a fan of his work. How do you describe sort of the scheme and the caper that we go on here in this film?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, I think. I think we follow this character, Shahja Korda, and that's the character I play, and we follow him through this journey that is really anchor on a relationship between father and daughter. And he's neglected that relationship, and now he's. He's maybe subconsciously looking for a second chance. And then there's this whole journey with all kinds of obstacles, but is that relationship. I think that's the heart of it. You know, that gets that character to go, to evolve, you know, to have a great arc. He becomes. He's a ruthless businessman, and at the end, he's a different type of human being. He's still the same, but he's. He's probably a better version of himself.

[Willie Geist]

I think Wes Anderson fans will see some royal tenenbaum in Zsa Zsa, which is sort of a rascal, maybe unethical, ruthless, all the things you said. But then at the end, you kind of fall in love with him. Is that fair to say?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah, yeah. And I think. I think it's like. I think maybe the movie says something like, you know, people. People can change. You know, not everybody changes, but I think people can change, you know, and.

[Willie Geist]

He definitely does over the course of this. It's. It's also just so much fun. I mean, you're surviving an assassination plot about every 15 minutes, right? Just very casually, too. You just kind of look down and move on with your day.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

Survive a plane crash, Move on with your day. Get caught in quicksand. Just keep going. Move on with your day. The amazing thing about this is that Wes Anderson wrote this part for you. And you can help me fill in the blanks on the story. But I think it started four years ago at Cannes, where you've just come back from. You were there promoting the French Dispatch.

[Benicio Del Toro]

That's right.

[Willie Geist]

And he may have leaned over and said, I've got something for you.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, he said, you know, I want you to be part of my next film. He never put it like that. He never said, I'm writing something for you. That would have scared the hell out of me. It still scared the hell out of me when I read the script, because I thought it was fantastic. And it was a lot of. A lot of heavy lifting, you know, because it. I'm in it quite a bit. But, you know, when you get a Wes Anderson movie, you get Wes Anderson calling you and offering you any part, but in this case, a hell of a part, because it's full of contradictions. It. It has a hell of an arc. It's. It's like. It's like getting a motivational pill. You just motivate it, you know? I mean, I was trying to think, what is it that it did to me? When Wes called me and I knew I was going to do this movie, and I was up. I was ready. I was like. I was really excited. And it's like, you're really motivated, and. And that's. That's. I think that summarizes for me what it feels like to work for Wes Anderson, because, you know, you're in the hands of. Of a master.

[Willie Geist]

And the way he tells it, it was very collaborative. It wasn't. We wrote a film. Go read these lines. Benicio. It was, who should this character be? What should he be like? Did it feel that way to you?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes, yes. We talked a lot about it. We. You know, we had many, many, many, many questions. You know, you saw the film, and there was a moment in which I'm meeting my daughter for the first time, and I'm telling her that I want her to be the heir to my estate. And I'm giving her a lot of details. And then in the background is Michael Cera playing Bjorn, a tutor. And I remember saying to Wes, Wes, I don't know if Zsa Zsa would be saying all this, giving all this information to his daughter in front of a stranger. And he said, well, maybe you're right. And then he goes, we'll polygraph them. And I go, okay, well, that'll work. And then he comes up with this, the lie detector, which is a little pocket polygraph, goes on his finger. It goes on his finger. And it was like, okay, that works. So that's. You collaborate like that. But it's. Everything is within that Wes Anderson imagination.

[Willie Geist]

That's a great scene. The three of you are sitting at a table having lunch.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes, yes.

[Willie Geist]

The lie detector comes out and then a dropper goes in the wine, it's poisoned. And they take it away from you, all very casually.

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Casually.

[Benicio Del Toro]

And you're doing it fast. You can't be slow. With. With Wes, everything was done really fast, you know.

[Willie Geist]

And how does it change your approach, Benicio, when you are. You're the leading man? This is. It's a great cast and we'll talk about some of them in a minute. But it's kind of your movie. You are Zsa Zsa. You're front and center. When you approach a film that way, it must be a totally different experience for you.

[Benicio Del Toro]

It is a different experience, but I approach it the same way. I think that I would approach any character. I do. You know, you just try to be honest, try to understand where you're coming from, what you want, where you're going. You know, those are like, essential things for doing, for acting in any movie. The thing is, the experience is different because Wes has blocked it. It's an independent movie and it doesn't look. Look at. You know, it's just really like, it's layered and everything is on the screen. So by. By doing them, when you're, like, going through it, you have to like. He's blocked it, you know, so he's. He's decided where you're going to stand many times. And so. But within that, you have to bring yourself to it, you know, so there. There's. There's room for wiggling, there's room for doing your thing within his, you know, patterns that he's created because he's. That. That camera is already set. When you get to the set, kind of like you.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, that's right.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Kind of like the cameras walk in and go walk in and it's already set.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, and you. There's no questioning who directed this film from the first frame of the film. Right. You know, immediately in that plane, this is a Wes Anderson movie. And then even the title sequence, which I thought was so cool, shot from above. You're in a bathtub, smoking a cigar, recovering from yet another assassination attempt.

[Benicio Del Toro]

I'm reading, I'm drinking, I'm thinking, I'm getting medicine, I'm eating. But this is really funny about that scene. Cause I show that was one of the first thing Scenes we shot. And I sit there and I'm in the bathtub and Wes comes up to me and he goes, we're going to shoot it in slow motion. And I go, okay, very good. And he goes, but I need you to act really fast. And I go, wes, if you're shooting it in slow motion and we're acting fast, doesn't that cancel the slow motion? Doesn't it means like, hey, let's do it in real time.

[Willie Geist]

Fair question.

[Benicio Del Toro]

He goes, no, it's going to be different. So. And he wanted to do one take. That what you see is one take. And we maybe got like three. But in order to get that whole choreograph, you know, all the nurses coming in and out at the right time, getting the injection, eating, turning the page, reading, smoking, that all. Maybe we did like 30 takes, you.

[Willie Geist]

Know, Is that right?

[Benicio Del Toro]

And then we managed to get a couple, you know, so. And that's what you see is one of the takes.

[Willie Geist]

It's very precise, right?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Precise. It's beautiful, really. And it's not exactly real time. It's, it's, it's different. It's not slow motion and it's not real time. It's just something unique.

[Willie Geist]

You know, that's fascinating.

[Benicio Del Toro]

And that's when. That's one of the things that you, you know, when you work with Wes, you trust them. Yeah, you learn quick to trust them.

[Willie Geist]

I mean, I know as a, as a fan and a viewer of a Wes Anderson film, what it is and what it looks like. I'm curious as an actor, how you describe to people the Wes Anderson experience, because you've worked with almost everybody, you worked with incredible directors who all have their own style. But how do you describe being inside the world of Wes Anderson?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, I think there's two answers to that. Acting. It, it's the same for every. I got to avoid the camera. I gotta be in the moment. You know, Wes wants you to be as honest as you can be like any other director. It's the experiences, the experience that it, it's different is when you see it, right? Because I feel more than any other movie, I've never done a 3D movie. And I think Wes Anderson movies, when I see them that I've been in two, they feel like they're 3D. Like, like they're almost tactile media. You almost can touch it like a pop up book in some ways. And also the humor and the heart, it's. He has a great balance of. And there's violence in his films. You Know, there's. There's a fight sequence that I have with Benedict Cumberbatch that is a funny, you know, fight sequence. And so I think that it's. It's when you. When I watch it that I feel like, oh, that was in that world. You know. But while I'm doing it, I'm just trying to get my lines out there right, and make sure that. That they land.

[Willie Geist]

Well, they do land. And did you like the comedic element of this? I was. Before we started reciting back to you some of my favorite lines. Just that deadpan, thank you, Willie.

[Benicio Del Toro]

But I. I just. I just, you know, one thing we did, it was Wes never says. Never said to me, I need you to be funny. I want you to be real. And if you're real, the joke will happen. And if they laugh, good. If not, you know, maybe they'll laugh the second time they see the movie or the third time. But if they don't, you don't. We don't go for the laugh. You know, we weren't going for the laughter. You know, maybe there was an element with the fight sequence. Maybe we were going a little bit bigger with it, the fight sequence. But still, he wanted, you know, Benedict and myself to be really in there, feeling it like the characters would. Would, you know, so if I'm funny, it's. I have. I. You know, I just. I'm trying to be telling the truth. And it' I'm glad that I met you, that I tickled you.

[Willie Geist]

Oh, yeah. Well, there's one line I think, that captures Zsa Zsa perfectly, where your daughter says something to you like, I'm appealing to your conscience here. And you quickly say, I don't have one. And that was it. That's who he is.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

That's a ridiculous idea.

[Benicio Del Toro]

They're great lines.

[Willie Geist]

Great lines.

[Benicio Del Toro]

They're great lines. They're great lines.

[Willie Geist]

Hey, guys, thanks for listening to the Sunday Sit down podcast. Stick around to hear more from Benicio Del Toro right after the break.

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[Benicio Del Toro]

Come to Papa.

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Or new pickleball paddles for some friendly father son competition.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Come to Papa. Yeah.

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Or gifts like a steel shaker for his signature dad Hatton cocktail.

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[Willie Geist]

Welcome back. Now more of my conversation with Benicio Del Toro. So let's talk a little bit about the cast, and I have to start with Mia, who plays your daughter. I confess, watching the film, I thought, she looks familiar, but I don't quite know. Where do I know her from? And so after I watched it, I went, look. Oh, she's relatively new to the business. That's Kate Winslet's daughter, But she stands alone. I mean, obviously, she's got some good genetics, but she is an amazing performer.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Oh, she's great. She's great Strong.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

She also has those big eyes, big Bette Davis eyes, you know, and she says a lot with them. And, you know, she nailed the audition, you know, because I flew to London with Wes to audition her, and she was the top contender. And I do remember that, you know, we were doing a scene, and then we finished, and I locked eyes with her, and she locked eyes with me, and she didn't blink. And then we went on, and then I remember telling Wes, you know, I think that's exactly what Zsaza needs. You know, he needs that. And I think that's what he would recognize in his daughter, that she would be strong enough to be the one that would carry the torch of the family fortune, whatever. And that strength was extremely prepared. Never complained. We had long hours, you know. Yeah, she's. She's a talent.

[Willie Geist]

She's really good. Bright future ahead. And the entire cast. I mean, you mentioned Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Cera. Scarlett Johansson is in it. I don't want to give away too much because some of them are just such a beautiful Easter eggs. Just gonna say Hanks and Cranston and a basketball game. Yeah, I'm just gonna. I'll leave it there. People have to watch.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

To know. But how fun to play with that group of actors.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I'm a fan you know, I think that as I became an actor, I started my first. I was a fan before I became an actor. So working with Tom Hanks and. And, you know, Bryan Cranston right there. You know, Tom Hanks is like, legend. You know, Jimmy Stewart of our. Of our generation, of our, you know, of our times. You know, it's like a legend, you know, so it was really nice to see him. And also very nice to see how generous, you know, these actors are.

[Willie Geist]

Right.

[Benicio Del Toro]

You know, Bryan Cranston as well, you know, just generous and willing to be there and help you out, to be the best you can be.

[Willie Geist]

It says a lot about Wes, too, I guess, that they're willing to. Actors of that caliber just drop in for a couple of days. Right.

[Benicio Del Toro]

And some of them drop in for just a cameo that doesn't even say anything. I mean, Marie Abrams is sitting right there.

[Willie Geist]

You know, Bill Murray.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Bill Murray. I mean, come on. It doesn't get better than that. Yeah. I have a funny story about Bill Murray. So he plays God in the film. You've seen it. And there's these dream sequences, and so he shows up. I've never. I thought I'd seen it all, but I've never seen an actor walk in with his own soundtrack. Oh, he walks in with a boombox. But Bluetooth nowadays, cranking. I think it was Eric Clapton. And he walks on the set with that hairdo, and he's just saying hello to people, and I'm going, wow. I thought I saw everything, but I've never seen this. And he's cranking it, and from the corner of the set, Wes yells, bill. Bill. Classical music only. Classical music only. Bill goes like this. And it goes into Beethoven or Bart Dock or whatever and just sat there. It was. It was. It was really like. That's incredible. It's one of those things that you go. Just go like, okay. I'll never forget that.

[Willie Geist]

Right. And that's Bill Murray. So he gets. He can pull that off.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

And for a visual for people watching, he's dressed as God in a robe. The beard, the hair, the whole thing with the boombox. That's perfect, isn't it?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes.

[Willie Geist]

We were just talking about how you came back from Cannes a few days ago. Great reception. Huge ovation. The reviews have been great for the film and for you specifically.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, thank you.

[Willie Geist]

Is it fun?

[Benicio Del Toro]

I don't read that stuff.

[Willie Geist]

Well, they're good. I'll just leave it there.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah, yeah, let's leave it there.

[Willie Geist]

You've had a lot of success in Your career. And you won an Oscar and been nominated for. For awards up and down. It's gotta be a lot of fun to be in a film that has this kind of energy around it that people are excited to see the next Wes Anderson movie. And, oh, by the way, Benicio Del Toro is the guy in the movie.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, I don't see it like that, but I'll take it. But, you know. Yes, it is. I think I've been watching movies now for a long time, and I just don't watch my movie. I don't watch my movies, but I watch old movies and I've been watching movies and I feel with this one, as when I look at it and I've watched it maybe three times, that it will. It has legs.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

You know, that it will travel in time. And I've been in a couple of those that I think it travel in time, that some of them didn't find an audience at the beginning, but little by little did find an audience. And I think most, if not all of Wes Anderson movies have legs.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

So, you know, I think all of them do, but this one is no different.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, it definitely fits into the canon of Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums and all of the. The classics.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes, yes. And it. And it does have this. The dream sequences are great, and it just. And it's just. Just original, unpredictable, you know, great cast, you know. You know, and the music is different for this one. He just. He. Classical music only.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, yeah, right.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

The message.

[Benicio Del Toro]

A little bit of jazz. A little bit of jazz.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, that's right. That's right. Well, congratulations, man. It's really, really great. I loved it.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Thank you.

[Willie Geist]

That people are gonna love it.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Thank you.

[Willie Geist]

We were talking a little bit before we started about Puerto Rico growing up there. So I want to figure out how you became an actor a little bit. It wasn't there at the beginning. You're an athlete growing up, right? A neighborhood of San Juan. What was your childhood like? What kind of kid were you?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Hmm. I don't know. It's. It's. You know, I bet people have different opinions of who. How. How I was as a kid. I was. I think I was distracted and I had a lot of energy and found basketball. Probably my godmother had a lot to do with that. She. I remember she took me to the ymca and there was a kid by himself practicing. And the All YMCA in Puerto Rico was one beautiful building. It was built in the 20s and it was just like had one of those old basketball courts with Wood, like the parquet floors?

[Willie Geist]

Yes, yes.

[Benicio Del Toro]

And it's not there anymore. It's sad, but I remember seeing this kid shooting hoops by himself. He was a little bit older. And I remember going, like, I want to do that. I want to finish school. I come shoot the ball. You know, I usually finish school and when I was forced to go to a tutor, you know, so. But, you know, Puerto Rico was, you know, was great. I mean, I, you know, it was fun growing up. And then I didn't. I, you know, I left Puerto Rico when I was 13. I went to a prep school in Pennsylvania called the Mercersburg Academy. And I, and we talked about this, the fact that I played basketball. I immediately had a group appears. I found friends quick. And that's, that's one of the things that there's a lot of things you can learn about sports. That's one of the things, you know, you find you're included. And so I, I was immediately. I, I found friends. And, and, and then. So I did four years there, and then as I was coming to my graduation, I, I just didn't know what, What I could do. I mean, I, my, My dad is a lawyer. My. My mom was a lawyer. My grandfather was a lawyer. My godmother was a lawyer. So they all went like, you know, you should be a lawyer or a professional. Right? And then I just decided to take this acting class and I kind of said, I like this. I did it when I went to college on my freshman year at UCSD in San Diego, California, and I decided to be. To do the acting thing. And it was, it was like. Because there was a logic to it. I mean, I felt like you could really study it. When I saw actors when I was growing up that I liked, whether it was Tom Cruise or Richard Gere or Eddie Murphy, I just felt like they were just writing it as they went around and did it, you know, and then taking an acting class, I realized, oh, wow, you can study this, and there's a lot of pieces to it. And so. And that's how I decided to become an actor, which didn't sit too well with my folks.

[Willie Geist]

I'm sure your mom passed away when you were nine years old, when you were still in Puerto Rico. The impact of that on you as a child is obvious. It's devastating. But did that contribute to your move to the United States at all, or was that unrelated?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, it did in a way, because she, she. That was. Her father had gone to, to. To school in the States, a high school in the States. Okay, so that was something she, she wished, you know, so it did happen, you know, so, you know, she's pulling the strings. She's been pulling the strings and, you know, she's still pulling the strings. So. Yeah, but yeah, it was a, that's a, that's a hell of a bang, you know, hell of a, hell of a blow.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

For any, any human being. So. Yeah, so that, that was early on. But, you know, it did have an influence in the decision of going to, to school where I went to school.

[Willie Geist]

That's a hell of an adjustment for a 13 year old who's still trying to figure out who he is anyway.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Right.

[Willie Geist]

To be uprooted from Puerto Rico and move to kind of rural Pennsylvania. Right.

[Benicio Del Toro]

But, yeah, but you know what, when I got there, everyone, when I looked around to the other kids, everyone was like, what am I doing here?

[Willie Geist]

How interesting.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Everyone was alone. You know, it's. So you didn't feel you were the.

[Willie Geist]

Only one alone, you know, United in your loneliness.

[Benicio Del Toro]

United in your loneliness. Yeah, so we were, I think every kid that was there for the first time was like, there were no clicks. Except you, you, you had to find it there. Whether it was, you know, some kids went into, you know, the theater club or, or other kind of club. The clubs or other sports. And I, you know, I had the basketball click.

[Willie Geist]

You mentioned Jimmy Stewart a minute ago. I was doing a little homework about Mercersburg. He went to Mercersburg.

[Benicio Del Toro]

That's so crazy.

[Willie Geist]

Unbelievable.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Unbelievable.

[Willie Geist]

Jimmy Stewart and Benicio Del Toro went to the same high school.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes. I mean, it's crazy. It's crazy.

[Willie Geist]

You know, and just.

[Benicio Del Toro]

But Jimmy Stewart is Jimmy Stewart.

[Willie Geist]

He is just so, you know, on the Wikipedia page you're listed above him. Just. Yeah, I just. Yeah, you should know that.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Okay, well.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, it might be alphabetical.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah, it is, it is, it is. The D comes. Yes. Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

Stick around for more of my conversation with Benicio Del Toro right after a quick break. Comcast is committed to bringing access to the Internet to all Americans, including rural communities across the country like Sussex County, Delaware. We were being left behind. Everybody around us seemed to have Internet.

[Benicio Del Toro]

But we did not.

[Willie Geist]

High speed Internet is one of those.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Good things that we needed to help.

[Willie Geist]

Us move our farming, our small businesses, our recreation forward. Learn more about how we're bringing our next generation network to more people across the country. @comcastcorporation.com investmentinarica we're interrupting this podcast to.

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[Willie Geist]

Welcome back now to the rest of my conversation with Benicio Del Toro. So UCSD is where you catch the bug. That's great. You go, okay, this is something I can do. And then the connection to get to New York in Stella Adler, that's a big leap too, is it not, to commit to that?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, yeah. I come to New York, I lived here for a little bit, and I said, my folks say, you want to be an actor, you're on your own, baby. And I said, okay. But I started to have my doubts and I waved the flag. I surrender. I will go back to college. Because they were saying, if you don't finish school, we're not gonna.

[Willie Geist]

You're on your own.

[Benicio Del Toro]

You're on your own. So I waved the flag and I went to California and my brother was going to ucla and I stopped in LA and I went to see an agent. And she said, you know, you should go back to college. When you finish college, come and see me. And then she said, by the way, they're giving a scholarship. But the Stella Adler Conservatory, I didn't know who Stella Adler was, and if you want, I can call and I can get you an audition. And I said, okay, what do I have to lose? And I did the audition and I got the scholarship for two years. And that really kind of like, that suddenly was like, wait, I'm not the one who's saying, I can do this. Someone else is saying, you should do this. And, you know, now I work and, you know, and I get movies and I work with incredible actors and incredible directors. But there was a period there where I was being rejected every day. But when I look back and I look at that, the fact that I was going to Stella Adler it gave me some kind of cushion in a way that, you know, at least I got this place where I can really explore and learn. And, you know, it's one hell of a technique, and it's one hell of a. Of a school, really. I'm still. As I progress as an actor, as a human being, I still keep learning or understanding things she said, you know, it's, It's. It's pretty amazing that I guess that's. I'm always a student. I think that this, you know, I think that that's part of. Of, Of, Of. Of being taught by a great teacher is that you. You keep learning as you get older, and you're ready now to understand things that, that she probably talked about.

[Willie Geist]

And it's like she planted a seed.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes.

[Willie Geist]

Grew years later, Years later.

[Benicio Del Toro]

That's what that meant.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah. It's interesting. Almost every successful actor I talk to like yourself, has that story of they started out rejection, rejection, rejection, and for some reason, they just kept at it. And I don't know if you feel like you had a plan B or you ever had a moment where you said, I don't know if I can do this. Maybe I should go to law school and listen to my dad.

[Benicio Del Toro]

I just. I just couldn't go to law school. I wasn't, I wasn't a reader. I mean, you have to read. I became a reader later. But. But I, you know. Yeah, I. I think that. I think that for me, I was. I like the process. You know, I'm kind of like, I like the process. I don't. I don't. I'm not looking at the result as much.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

And I think those rejections, you know, trust me, I thought I nailed some auditions there, and they were going, ah, no. And I could have sworn I nailed it. And I was gonna get the part, you know, but there were a couple casting directors that were. That also embraced me and kind of like pushed me for parts, you know.

[Willie Geist]

What felt like the big break to you? A lot of people point to the usual suspects in 95 as the time. Bigger audience said, who's that guy? He's good.

[Benicio Del Toro]

I think the industry more so with that film. But before that, I. I got a James Bond movie.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Early on.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah. And that was huge. Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

I mean, like, like, I want to be in a James Bond movie. I was like, you know, I called my dad, I called everybody. But what happened is I did that movie, and then I didn't work again for a year and a half. You know, the movie came out, you Know, everybody thought, oh, then, now you're gonna be.

[Willie Geist]

Right.

[Benicio Del Toro]

You think as an actor, you think, like, you get a job and that you're gonna work again. Well, no, not really.

[Willie Geist]

That's interesting.

[Benicio Del Toro]

You can get a job and then sit for a while, and that's when you can get really cold feet and start second guessing yourself. And so I think that. I think that that was a big moment. And I remember. I don't know, I Bought a Suitcase. I remember that. But, you know, just, just that movie was also. Because I grew up watching James Bond movies. And, you know, I knew there were. There were friends of mine from high school or in Puerto Rico. They went to the movie theaters. They couldn't believe it. They were. How did that happen? You know, it's like really weird, you know, like, I didn't know you were out there. I didn't know you could be in the movie. Yeah. So.

[Willie Geist]

But.

[Benicio Del Toro]

But that was. That was. That was a moment there.

[Willie Geist]

That's huge.

[Benicio Del Toro]

There were a couple, but there was a. It was. It went up and down for a while, you know, until the Usual Suspects was kind of like. Also the Usual Suspects was a hell of a script by Chris McQuarrie, a hell of a director. Bryan Singer, hell of a cast, and the movie was a success.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

And I learned there that you're only as good as your movie too, you know, so, you know, it does help to be in a film that is good.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah. And then comes the fan. Now you're in a movie with De Niro, then Fear and Loathing, where you were incredible in that. In that movie. When I look back on that, my gosh, that performance was.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah. Well, also great material. One or S. Thompson's book, and it was really. We follow the book, pretty good on the. On the. On the script. Johnny Depp, Terry Gilliam, what a ride. That's one of those movies that when it came out, it just. It found an audience later.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, right.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

Felt like a cult thing for a while.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah. And then, of course, I have to imagine a lot changes for you with traffic when you win an Academy Award. Is it true that that changes things for you? Do you feel that business, business wise?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah, it does. Yeah, it does. Now you can, you know, I'm gonna fly first class. Yeah, there's a little bit of that, but yeah, it does change a little bit, but I think more on the business side, you know, my. My manager, my agent, you know, have maybe leverage now. And it also changed at home a little bit, you know, and suddenly it's like, oh, I always knew it was.

[Willie Geist]

Going to be an actor.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Of course, I saw it since he was 6. Oh, yeah. You should have seen him when he played Cowboys and Indians. So good. So there's a. There's that. But. But in the end, is it. You also have to, like, be, you know, take your time with it because you can really get sucked into all that hoopla of being. And it's. It's really. It's an honor to be in that list. But, you know, you also, like, don't believe it 100. You know, you just. You just look forward, you know, did.

[Willie Geist]

You feel like more scripts were coming into you after that and therefore you had to be even a little more selective because people wanted you to do all kinds of crazy things?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah. So you turn down a few things.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Turn down a few things. And then also it gives you levers to instigate stories that you might want to be a part of or you want to, you know, you know, be involved from the beginning. You know, filmmakers might reach out to you because. Because your value goes up, you know, so you might be able to. Your participation in a movie might give that movie that green light, so people invest in it, you know.

[Willie Geist]

Right, right. Yeah. You get another Academy Award nomination. And then, I don't know, I'm just fascinated by all the choices you made. Like, you don't have very many misses. They're all good movies, even if you're not the lead in them. They're all just considered really strong movies. So what, when a script comes across your desk, what is your process like, especially at this point in your career when you can kind of do anything? You've done Marvel, you've done Star wars, you've done it all. What is your sort of editing process to say, yeah, I'll do that?

[Benicio Del Toro]

Well, the first thing is who's directing it. Yeah, you know, that. And then let's say it's someone that you haven't seen or someone new that is like, what's the story? If. And then you can tell from the script, you know, if it's original and predictable, you know, who. Who's in the cast, if there's anyone attached to it that also has an influence. And then, you know, I got. I got really good people that I pay them a percentage to also bounce stuff off, you know, like, you know, hey, what do you think about this? Is this a good thing? Should we do this now? So, you know, I got a manager that I've been with since the beginning of time, and you Know, I trust his opinion. So all these things come. There's a combination of all these things, but I think the first thing is who. Who's making the film. Yeah, that's. That's going to be like. That's going to be the. The. The key to open. Perhaps. Perhaps exploring the character. Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

And you've worked with so many of the great directors.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

I have to imagine, as a guy who struggled in those early days of his career that you were just describing, trying to figure out how you get through these auditions and you get little parts here and there. Do you ever stop at this point in your career, in your life and go, wow, I can't believe how far I've come from those days to get to work with Wes Anderson. And he effectively wrote a part for me in his movie. Do you reflect?

[Benicio Del Toro]

You're forcing me. I gotta take another drink of this vodka.

[Willie Geist]

It is. People should know. That's 100%.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah, I guess you do. It's kind of scary. You get Vertigo. I can get Vertigo. Looking back, I've been really lucky. I've worked with the best. Some of the best. And I've even worked with directors that I didn't do a film that we got involved in things. So, yeah, I've learned a lot. You know, Willie, maybe the thing that. That. That happens inevitably is that you start learning. One thing I like to do is give young filmmakers a chance. So now I'm in a position where I can try a filmmaker that maybe has not done something, but you can see there's something in. In their story or the way they pitch a movie to you. There's a passion. Something like that. So I like. There's many actors that I admire that have done that. You know, like Jack Nicholson, you know, they just went in and did they help young filmmakers? So I like to do that. And then the other thing that happens is that I've gone to an incredible school. I'm also kind of like, maybe thinking maybe I should get behind the camera at some point and try that. You know, so that's inevitable. You know, I mean, you know, because I've been around, you know, like you said, you know, an incredible. I've been to an incredible university of filmmakers.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Benicio Del Toro]

And. And. And actors and all kinds of departments really, that are like. That. I've learned a lot from. You know, I mean, in Wes's movie, there is, like, the wardrobe, which also helps the story immensely. Is Melina Cannonero, who. She's won four Oscars. She worked with Stanley Kubrick. So you know, I've, there's, I've been, you know, you're forcing me to look back now. Might not be able to get shut my mouth.

[Willie Geist]

Well, you turned it to looking forward and you suggested you might do some directing. Is that something imminent, you think, or is that down the road?

[Benicio Del Toro]

It's down the road. But, you know, I, I think about it. I think about it. Maybe, you know, tell a story, you know, the way I kind of look at things, you know, maybe do something in Puerto Rico.

[Willie Geist]

Absolutely.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Maybe you can come in and.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, you were thinking craft services.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Thinking of my cow.

[Willie Geist]

I just cast myself in. You're like, no, you can do craft services. That's fine. Let's end. That's a great place to end on, on Puerto Rico, a place I love that you're from. I've been going for 35 years. Got married there. And you've done so much good work there. Not just after hurricanes, but always. Yeah. What a cool position to be in that you have a platform to do those things and to give back to the place that made you effectively. It's got to feel good.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yes, yes. I mean, you want to always want to do more, you know, but yes. And I'm, you know. Yeah. It's who I am, you know, it's my blood, DNA, everything. Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

Well, I look forward to our shoot.

[Benicio Del Toro]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

I'll give you some dates when I'm available. Thanks, Benicio. Thank you.

[Benicio Del Toro]

You got it. He said it.

[Willie Geist]

My big thanks to Benicio for a great conversation. You can see Wes Anderson's new film the Phoenician Scheme, starring Benicio, in theaters now. And my thanks, as always, to all of you for listening again this week. And if you want to hear more of my conversations with our guests every week, be sure to click follow so you never miss an episode. And don't forget to tune in to Sunday Today every weekend on NBC to see these interviews with your own two eyes. I'm Willie Geist. We'll see you right back here next week on the Sunday Sit down podcast.

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