"What I learned is that acting must consume you. When I act, everything else ceases to exist. "

Benicio del Toro is an Oscar winning actor, best-known for his role as the Mexican cop in Traffic.

Del Toro grew up in a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He moved to Mercersburg, Pennsylvania and attended boarding school after his mother died of hepatitis when he was nine years old. Both of Del Toro's parents were lawyers. His older brother, Gustavo, is a pediatric oncologist in Manhattan.

Del Toro dropped out of college to study with Stella Adler, an acting teacher, in Los Angeles. He hid his acting ambitions family until the career began to take flight. In the late 80s, he began to appear in small roles, mostly as thugs or drug dealers, on programs like "Miami Vice." Film work, such as a debut in "Big Tip Pee-wee" and "License," earned Del Toro a distinct reputation; at 21, he was the youngest person to play a Bond villain films during this period include, Money for Nothing, Fearless, and Swimming with Sharks. His 1995 performance in The Usual Suspects became Del Toro's signature performance, and won his an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Del Toro began earning a mainstream audience in 2000. The Steven Soderbergh Film, Traffic, was a box office success. His role as a Mexican border cop, who spoke primarily in Spanish, portrayed a heartfelt performance that dominated the film industry, earning his an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. This attention made him an American sex symbol; he was placed on People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" list. He been compared to James Dean and Marlon Brando.

More recently, Del Toro starred in Sin City, a film adaption of Frank Miller's novel. He will play the lead role of a film about the life of Che Guevara.