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This episode features a conversation about filmmaking, art, pain, and the philosophy of creative processes. The guest explains how personal adversity, childhood hypochondria, and growing up Catholic profoundly shaped a lifelong fascination with monsters and the macabre. The dialogue explores the deep cost of relying on shortcuts versus embracing authentic, lived human experiences, drawing on specific memories from early micro-budget projects and tense Hollywood productions.
Del Toro discusses his upbringing, family dynamics, and early exposure to cinema and storytelling.
Del Toro explains his filmmaking workflow, from concept to production, emphasizing collaboration and the importance of detailed notes and design.
He shares personal hardships, including family tragedies and health anxieties, and how these experiences shaped his artistic vision.
He offers advice on navigating the film industry, the value of mentorship, and the balance between artistic integrity and commercial pressures.
Del Toro reflects on Mexican Catholicism, folklore, and how cultural narratives inform his storytelling and character creation.
The episode concludes with Del Toro summarizing key lessons, encouraging listeners to pursue authenticity, and thanking the hosts.
Guillermo del Toro explains how his early work in special effects led to the creation of the company Kronos, its challenges, and its eventual success at Cannes.
The director shares the emotional and financial toll of his father's kidnapping, the pressure to pay ransom, and how these events intersected with the production of Mimic.
The conversation shifts to del Toro’s artistic beliefs, emphasizing the importance of authentic pain, the purity of creative expression, and the power of the human voice in storytelling.
Del Toro reflects on the visual legacy of Pan's Labyrinth, his desire to reimagine it in 3D, and the artistic choices that would enhance the film’s immersive experience.
Del Toro details his interactions with industry figures like James Cameron and Harvey Weinstein, including the challenges and support he received during the making of his films.
Del Toro considers the role of new technologies, including AI, in filmmaking, advocating for human decision-making and artistic integrity over automated processes.
The discussion explores the collaborative process with actors like Oscar Isaac and the importance of vulnerability and authenticity in creating memorable performances.
The episode concludes with del Toro’s reflections on legacy, the enduring impact of his work, and the broader human experience of art and storytelling.
The episode opens with a brief intro and the host welcoming listeners to the show.
The hosts share a humorous story about accidentally wearing underwear backwards and the ensuing chaos.
Discussion shifts to the host’s experience with menstrual cycle tracking using the Flow app and its impact on relationships.
The guest humorously recounts how people occasionally mistake him for cinematographer Guillermo Navarro because they look alike.
The Lottery Winstory
The guest shares the story of how his father won the lottery twice in 1969, which dramatically altered their family's living situation.
Objects Have Soulsinsight
The guest explains his belief that everyday objects possess personalities, treating his car and cooking tools with affection.
Making Friends with Monstersstory
Recalling childhood fears, the guest shares how he once negotiated with the monsters in his room so he could use the bathroom.
Primary Versus Secondary Gainsinsight
The discussion contrasts fleeting secondary gains like wealth and attention with the lasting fulfillment of primary gains like family and love.
The guest reflects on the harrowing seventy-two-day kidnapping of his father and how he used writing to maintain his center.
“I think the process is what's worth it, not the result.”
“The key to life is huge windshield, small rear view mirror.”
“I think the process is what's worth it, not the result. If we understand that, we understand that the shortcut is not giving you something, it's robbing you of something.”
“That movie is the worst experience I've ever had.”
“I put into paying the ransom for my father.”
“The only treasure we have is a voice and each of us have a voice.”
“There's a great rule to directing. If you drink, you pee. If you pee, you leave. Never leave the set.”
“I love therapy more than anything. Gets me through. Often I'll want to cancel because I'm like, I don't really have anything to talk about. And then I'll go and I have a major revelation.”
Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Frankenstein, The Shape of Water) is an Academy Award-winning director, screenwriter, and producer. Guillermo joins Armchair Expert to discuss his dad winning the lottery twice, diagnosing himself from a health encyclopedia, and promising the monsters in his bedroom lifelong friendship. Guillermo and Dax talk about writing The Devil’s Backbone while his father was kidnapped, James Cameron nearly fighting Harvey Weinstein on his behalf, and bringing back Pan’s Labyrinth to finally realize it in 3D. Guillermo explains why monsters are more honest than people, how creative shortcuts rob us of the best part, and why being loved matters more than being celebrated. Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime. Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
26,982 words · 8 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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