Anecdotes

His movie and comic book collection is so huge that he had to buy an extra home to accommodate this.

Fought the film studios for almost seven years to get Ron Perlman for the title role in Hellboy (2004). The studio wanted a bigger name to ensure the success of the movie, but del Toro thought that Perlman was the perfect choice and wouldn't make the movie if he wasn't cast.

Good friends with director James Cameron. Cameron helped him pay the ransom for his kidnapped father in 1997, and once revealed that he nearly got into a fight with Harvey Weinstein over the latter's treatment of del Toro during the filming of Métamorphose (1997).

Turned down a chance to direct Je suis une légende (2007), Un appel manqué (2008), Harry Potter et le prince de sang-mêlé (2009) and Halo to work on Hellboy II - L'armée d'or (2008).

Following his international breakthrough, his father was kidnapped for ransom in Mexico in 1997, and held for seventy-two days until the money was paid. Fellow filmmaker James Cameron helped secure the ransom money. Although del Toro still frequently works in Mexico, he has relocated his family to the United States out of fear of more kidnappings.

Has a photographic memory.

Turned down a chance to direct Blade III: La trinité (2004), Alien vs. Prédateur (2004) and Harry Potter et le prisonnier d'Azkaban (2004) to work on his dream project: Hellboy (2004).

In an article in USA Today (August 22, 2011), del Toro listed his six favorite fright films: L'amour chez les monstres (1932), La falaise mystérieuse (1944), Les innocents (1961), Les dents de la mer (1975), Alien: Le huitième passager (1979) and Shining: L'enfant lumière (1980).

Used to work as an orderly at a mental institution and would eat lunch in a morgue next to there.

Became a vegetarian after seeing Massacre à la tronçonneuse (1974) but only for four years. Currently, he's no longer a vegetarian.

In a January 2007 interview on the radio program "Fresh Air with Terry Gross", said that his strictly Catholic grandmother was a "Piper Laurie in Carrie (1976)" figure in his childhood. He told Gross that his grandmother would require him to mortify himself in self-punishment, in one case placing metal bottle caps into his shoes so that the soles of his feet were bloodied while walking to school. She also tried to exorcise him twice because of his persistent interest in fantasy and drawing monsters from his imagination.

When asked what movies he would make given the proper budget, he said: At the Mountains of Madness and Frankenstein.

Has extensive knowledge and practical experience playing video-games, and is very good friends with Japanese video-game designer/director Hideo Kojima, with whom he shares many interests, including 1960s classic movies and Japanese television series, and rare toys.

Friends with fellow successful Mexican directors Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro G. Iñárritu. They often support each other.

When casting his films, he looks first for interesting, engaging, eyes in a prospective actor or actress.

Lost 45 lbs. while making Le labyrinthe de Pan (2006), which he admitted in the DVD's video prologue.

He regards Métamorphose (1997) as the weakest of his films and blames constant interference from the producers Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein as the main reason, because they didn't respect his artistic vision. He later made peace with the film after creating a new Director's Cut.

In 2018, he became the fourth Mexican director to have won Best Director at the Academy Awards in the last five years.

His favorite movie monsters are Frankenstein's Monster and the Creature of the Black Lagoon.

La forme de l'eau (2017) is his personal favorite of his own movies.

Ranked #37 on EW's The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood. (décembre 2007)

Was attached to direct Le Hobbit: Un Voyage Inattendu (2012) but dropped out due to repeated delays in the production and the project stalling due to MGM declaring bankruptcy. He still received screenwriting credit on the film and its sequels: Le Hobbit: La Désolation de Smaug (2013) and Le Hobbit: La bataille des cinq armées (2014).

Turned down the chance to direct Hellraiser: L'apogée (1996), which went to Kevin Yagher.

Good friends with director Robert Rodriguez.

In 2007, he was one of 10 Mexican Oscar-nominees. The others were Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Guillermo Arriaga, Adriana Barraza, Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo Navarro, Emmanuel Lubezki, Eugenio Caballero, Pilar Revuelta and Fernando Cámara.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6918 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 6, 2019. Director J.J. Abrams and singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey were guest speakers at the ceremony.

Maintains residences in Toronto and Los Angeles, and returns to Guadalajara ever six weeks to visit his family.

Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame during their gala held on March 12, 2015 in Austin, Texas.

His favorite movies include Nosferatu le vampire (1922), L'amour chez les monstres (1932), La Fiancée de Frankenstein (1935), Le septième sceau (1957), Les yeux sans visage (1960), 8 1/2 (1963) and Brazil (1985).

Is a huge lifelong fan of Hammer Horror films and has said he made L'échine du diable (2001) and Crimson Peak (2015) with their style in mind.

His favorite albums are "The Wall" (1979) by the rock band Pink Floyd and "Security" (1982) by Peter Gabriel.

Roughly 16 years of his life have gone writing and co-writing screenplays for movies that never got made.

Has directed three Oscar nominated performances: Richard Jenkins, Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer.

Was going to direct Thor (2011) for Marvel Studios, as he was interested in exploring Norse Mythology, but dropped out because he couldn't commit to it long-term.

Was asked to direct La fin des temps (1999), which he turned down. The task went to Peter Hyams.

As of 2018, is one of 10 directors to win the Golden Globe, Director's Guild, BAFTA, and Oscar for the same movie, winning for La forme de l'eau (2017). The other directors to achieve this are Danny Boyle for Le pouilleux millionnaire (2008), Mike Nichols for Le lauréat (1967), Milos Forman for Vol au-dessus d'un nid de coucou (1975), Richard Attenborough for Gandhi (1982), Oliver Stone for Platoon (1986), Steven Spielberg for La liste de Schindler (1993), Ang Lee for Souvenirs de Brokeback Mountain (2005), Alfonso Cuarón for Gravité (2013), and Alejandro G. Iñárritu for Le revenant (2015).

No relation to Oscar-winning actor Benicio Del Toro, despite a popular misconception.

His name translated into English is "William of the Bull".

He became the first filmmaker to win Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Animated Feature for different films.

Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival in 2015.

He was the first filmmaker, as well as the first Latin, to win both Best Director/Best Picture and Best Animated Feature at different films, for his work of La forme de l'eau (2017) and Pinocchio par Guillermo del Toro (2022).

He has often described seeing Boris Karloff's famous entrance in Frankenstein (1931) for the first time as a child and, in absolute seriousness, has called the moment "a religious conversion", like that of St. Paul on the road to Damascus.

The third Mexican nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, after Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Alfonso Cuarón.

President of the 'Official Competition' Jury at the 75th Venice International Film Festival in 2018.

Member of the jury of the "Luigi De Laurentiis" Prize for a Debut Film at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival in 2006.

He is one of 10 directors to win the Golden Globe, Director's Guild, BAFTA, and Oscar for the same film, winning for La forme de l'eau (2017). The others to achieve this are Mike Nichols for Le lauréat (1967), Milos Forman for Vol au-dessus d'un nid de coucou (1975), Richard Attenborough for Gandhi (1982), Oliver Stone for Platoon (1986), Steven Spielberg for La liste de Schindler (1993), Ang Lee for Souvenirs de Brokeback Mountain (2005), Danny Boyle for Le pouilleux millionnaire (2008), Alfonso Cuarón for Roma (2018) and Gravité (2013), and Alejandro G. Iñárritu for Le revenant (2015).

Is a huge fan of Team Ico's games and considers Ico (2001) and Wanda to kyozô (2005) masterpieces.

He has directed two films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: La forme de l'eau (2017) and Ruelle de cauchemar (2021). The former won in the category. He also directed the Best Animated Feature winner Pinocchio par Guillermo del Toro (2022).

Fourth Mexican to win three competitive Academy Awards after fellow filmmakers Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuarón (each of them won four awards), and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (three).