LOS ANGELES - Benicio del Toro won his first Oscar 25 years ago for "Traffic."
This year, he is once again in the Academy Award conversation for his soulful turn as karate dojo owner -- and part-time saviour of immigrants -- Sergio St Carlos in "One Battle After Another," a role he says reflects his own sensibilities.
"There is a lot of me in there," Del Toro told AFP ahead of the Oscars gala on March 15, where he will vie for best supporting actor honours with co-star Sean Penn, Swedish veteran Stellan Skarsgard, Jacob Elordi ("Frankenstein") and Delroy Lindo ("Sinners").
In Paul Thomas Anderson's high-octane, politically charged thriller about leftist revolutionaries, white supremacists and immigration raids, Sensei Sergio provides a sense of calm at the film's heart.
Most of Del Toro's scenes come opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Bob Ferguson, a highly strung, and somewhat strung out, former militant who must hunt for his missing daughter (Chase Infiniti) when the past comes back to haunt him.
The 59-year-old Puerto Rican actor acknowledged he was surprised by the reception he has received for his role, which accounts for less than 15 minutes of screen time.
"It feels good, and it also can make you a little bit uncomfortable too," he said in a Zoom conversation. "I'm proud of it."
"One Battle After Another" -- which earned 13 Academy Award nominations -- is the front-runner to take the best picture Oscar.
"I did enjoy the film, and I felt that the film did have a lot of potential," Del Toro said, noting that he felt his co-stars were "really the protagonists," with his to a lesser extent.
"Perhaps there's something in a movie that is so dark... since it brings a little bit of a sense of hope," he added of his character -- though he admits he did not initially see him that way.