Oscar -winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro displayed the Mexican flag as he received a star on the Walk of Fame. He utilized his big moment to speak out in the aftermath of the El Pass mass shootings that targeted those of Mexican ancestry. He urged fellow immigrants to “reject fear and division in the U.S.”
The ceremony was held three days before the release of his latest horror film “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” for which del Toro wrote the screenplay.
Del Torre is known for his vast imagination creating the surreal with worlds filled with fantastical monsters. Speaking at the ceremony, del Toro said “great fear” was being used to divide people but “those divisions are complete fantasies.”
Del Torre is perhaps best known, however, for the 2017 fantasy-romance “The Shape of Water,” which brought del Toro a best director Oscar. It also won for best picture, with del Toro among the producers. He also shared a best original screenplay Oscar nomination with Vanessa Taylor for the film.
The star is the 2,669th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars. The ceremony will be livestreamed on walkoffame.com.
“Guillermo del Toro is a director with one of the most creative and vivid imaginations,” Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said. “He has his pulse on a realm of fantasy that has captivated and astounded audiences.”
He was born Oct. 9, 1964, in Guadalajara, Mexico. When he was about eight years old, he began experimenting with his father’s Super 8 camera, making short films with “Planet of the Apes” toys and other objects. He was a special-effects make-up artist for 10 years and directed several short films before beginning his feature film directing career.