Benicio Del Toro, Best Supporting Actor 2000: MovieMonday.com

	TRAFFIC (Drama) (R - drug content, violence, language & some sexual content.) In one of the four interrelated drug battle stories told in this film, Benicio Del Toro won his Supporting Oscar playing "one good cop," Javier Rodriguez, a corrupt, yet dedicated local Mexican constable doing his part fighting the drug battle in Mexico, using his "own jaded, questionable ethical code." He finds himself in a moment of truth, when he discovers that his new boss is not "anti-drug" at all, but part of the problem itself.
Benicio Del Toro (1967 - ) Benicio Del Toro, who has been called the "Spanish Brad Pitt," was born on February 19, 1967 in San German, Puerto Rico, the son of two lawyers. When his mother died, the family moved to a farm in Pennsylvania. Though originally taking up business courses at University of California in San Diego, Benicio Del Toro's strong interest in acting was refueled when he took an acting class. He dropped out of school and studied acting with Stella Adler in Los Angeles and at the Circle in the Square Acting School in New York City. Benicio Del Toro started acting on TV in the late '80's with an appearance on "Miami Vice," and taking part in a NBC miniseries "Drug Wars: The Kiki Camarena Story," thus starting his career as a charismatic character actor, mostly known for portraying cool gansters with bad attitudes, though he has diversified in his later films. At 21, he played the youngest Bond villain ever, in the film "License to Kill," which unfortunately bombed at the box office. However, like any good actor worth his salt, he persevered through the early nineties, giving the film community credible performances in underrated films. Notably, he shone in his roles in the films, "China Moon," "Fearless" and especially "Swimming With Sharks" and "The Fan," where he plays a prima dona basball player. Benicio Del Toro's first leading man role became his in 1997, a film called "Excess Baggage." Other leading roles followed in "Johnny Depp" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," with mixed reviews. The year 2000 brought a big boost in his career, which led to his Oscar as best Supporting Actor, a prize he richly deserved. His other film credits include: THE PLEDGE THE WAY OF THE GUN SNATCH BREAD AND ROSES JOYRIDE THE FUNERAL BASQUIAT THE USUAL SUSPECTS THE HUNTED 21 GRAMS His Television credits include... "Independent Focus" "Tales from the Crypt" - Episode # 6.6 "Ohara" "Private Eye" - Episode # 1.4