The Puerto Rican actor, who won an Academy Award for Traffic and has captivated audiences in works ranging from Che to Sicario, speaks about literature with the same intensity he brings to his most memorable performances. For him, reading is not just a pastime, but a discipline, a way of sharpening both the imagination and the soul. Del Toro’s literary grounding has shaped his approach to acting. He doesn’t just memorize dialogue..

he reads scripts as if they were novels, searching for the contradictions that make characters real. 'Every role is an opportunity to explore a different part of myself, or of humanity,” he says. “I can’t do the same thing twice. That’s why I read, why I study, why I challenge myself. Because the moment you stop searching, you stop being truthful. And truth—that’s the real job of an actor'. 

His upcoming film, One Battle After Another, embodies this philosophy. A sprawling, politically charged drama, it follows the unraveling of a man caught between personal loyalties and global conflicts. For del Toro, the role demanded not just technical precision but also a deep dive into the moral ambiguities that literature so often explores. “It’s not just about one soldier’s journey,” he says. “It’s about how every battle—internal or external—changes us. That’s why the film spoke to me. It’s a story of contradictions, and that’s where truth lies.”

Q: You’ve often spoken about the importance of discipline in your career. Why is that so central to you?

Benicio del Toro: Discipline is everything. If you fall in love with something—whether you’re an actor, a shoemaker, or picking tomatoes—discipline becomes easy. It’s the fuel that allows you to keep improving, to keep growing. I tell young people and even inmates I’ve spoken to: discipline is not about punishment, it’s about consistency. It’s what allows you to reach your potential.

Q: And reading? You’ve encouraged others to make it a habit.

Benicio del Toro: Without reading, you can’t keep growing. It’s essential—not just for actors, but for directors, writers, anyone who wants to tell stories. When I read plays or novels, I’m not just passing time, I’m feeding my imagination. I always make time to read, no matter how busy I am, because every book opens another door. I’ve recommended works like Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea or García Márquez’s The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor, because they shape how we see struggle and survival, which are at the core of human stories.

Q: Do you have a favorite book?

Benicio del Toro: My favorite book in Spanish is Don Quixote. I think everyone should read it. Cervantes created a character who is both tragic and heroic, foolish and wise—sometimes in the same breath. As an actor, I find that fascinating, because that’s what real people are like: contradictions. Reading Don Quixote also connects me deeply to Spain, to that culture of language and imagination. And of course, I carry Puerto Rico in my heart wherever I go. Those two places, Spain and Puerto Rico, they’re part of who I am. They gave me the rhythm of my language, the roots of my identity.

Q: What does it mean to you?

Benicio del Toro: Don Quixote is everything. He’s ridiculous and noble, wise and foolish, brave and broken—all in one. For an actor, that’s gold. You want characters who contradict themselves, who are human in their imperfection. Cervantes gave us that. To me, Quixote is also about the dignity of imagination. He sees the world not as it is, but as it could be. That’s what every artist does—we tilt at windmills, knowing we might fall, but still believing in the dream.

Q: You’ve said that acting requires constant exploration. What keeps you searching as an artist?

Benicio del Toro: I’m always looking for new ways to grow. Every role is an opportunity to explore a different part of myself, or of humanity. I can’t do the same thing twice. That’s why I read, why I study, why I challenge myself. Because the moment you stop searching, you stop being truthful. And truth—that’s the real job of an actor.

Q: You’ve often said discipline and reading are essential. Why do you connect those two?

Benicio del Toro: Because they go hand in hand. Discipline is about showing up, even when you don’t feel like it. Reading is the same—you open a book, you make the time, you commit. Without that, you don’t grow. In cinema, whether you’re a director or an actor, you need stories, you need perspective. Books give you that. Discipline gives you the strength to keep going back to the page, back to the set, back to the work.

Q: Do you remember when you first fell in love with reading?

Benicio del Toro: It was when I realized that books could take me out of where I was. Growing up in Puerto Rico, books were a window. Later, when I moved to the States, they became a way to keep my Spanish alive, to hold on to my roots. Reading is like traveling—you discover other worlds, but you also discover yourself.

Q: What role does the Spanish language play in your life as an actor and a reader?

Benicio del Toro: Spanish is my soul. It’s the language I dream in, the language of my family, the language of the writers who shaped me. When I read Don Quixote or García Márquez, I hear the music of Spanish. It’s a rhythm you can’t translate completely. Even when I act in English, that rhythm is still inside me. Spanish keeps me grounded, it connects me to Puerto Rico, to Spain, to a history that is bigger than me.

Q: Do you think young actors should read more?

Benicio del Toro: Absolutely. Read plays, read novels, read poetry. If you only study acting through films or classes, you’re missing half of the education. Reading opens your imagination, it gives you empathy, it shows you lives you’ll never live. And as an actor, your job is to live other lives. Without reading, you’re limiting your instrument.

Q: You once said every person has their own story. Can you explain what you meant?

Benicio del Toro: Each of us is carrying a novel inside. Our choices, our mistakes, our hopes—they’re all part of a story. Reading helps us understand that, because when you read, you see that people everywhere struggle, dream, fail, and get back up again. That’s why I act. To tell stories that remind us we’re all human, we’re all flawed, but we’re all connected.

Q: Finally, what does reading give you, personally?

Benicio del Toro: It gives me perspective. It humbles me. It reminds me I’m just a small part of a much bigger world. And it gives me joy. When I open a book, I feel alive. It’s like acting in a way—you step into another skin, another time, another place. For me, reading is not separate from acting. It’s the same journey. It’s about searching for truth, no matter how many battles it takes.

By María Estévez

Correspondent writer