Best Supporting Actor 2025: Benicio del Toro in One Battle After Another

Benicio del Toro received his third Oscar nomination for portraying Sergio St. Carlos in One Battle After Another. 

Benicio del Toro plays “everyone’s” favorite character in One Battle, the karate Sensei to Willa (Chase Infiniti), daughter of former revolutionary now burnout in hiding Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is in this kind of parallel to the main story, as he’s there to help Bob find his daughter while taking care of his own situation as law enforcement is coming down hard on immigrants in their town. Del Toro’s Sensei being the favorite of many likely because he is a source of calm and comedy within the overall chaos of the film. Something that is evident from his first scene where he is giving a martial arts lesson to Willa who he gives one simple instruction for her to breathe. Del Toro’s delivery of such is as calming and assuring as the idea of making sure you stay centered even when showing off fighting skills. Del Toro’s performance ends up being one about creating a state of being and in some ways del Toro’s performance isn’t entirely unlike previously Oscar nominated mentor characters of Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi, where his assuring wisdom feels like such a fundamental pillar for his film. Where del Toro is about crafting this specific vibe for the Sensei that puts things a bit at ease, though this vibe has many roles within it. 

The first just is in contrast to Bob’s paranoid wholly messy approach as he comes to Sensei’s studio looking for a gun and help. Del Toro’s delivery and manner is all about the zen as not only is he dealing with Bob’s problem, he’s on a call with his wife organizing essentially an underground railroad to keep various immigrants from being arrested by hiding them in various areas and coordinating a whole group of people. Del Toro’s whole manner, even in his reactions to Bob’s unease, is all casual like a walk in the park and really his delivery has an emphasis of a “don’t worry I got this” to Bob, as he takes him under his wing. The second is for comedy where his casual manner has a very natural and endearing humor to it. Whether that is his direct but still gentle way of easing Bob off the tatami in his dojo, his totally casual “8:15” to Bob when he’s struggling to answer the code question of “What time is it”, his paternal shushing when Bob swears up a storm near his kids, his knowing look of “oh you don’t know” when saying Bob should try Willa’s phone, the phone Bob didn’t know existed and of course his wry smile and perfectly silly delivery of “a few small beers” along with his way of sorta holding up his clothes like a dress when being arrested for drunk driving. 

The third perhaps most importantly is emphasizing the philosophy of essentially keeping cool and carrying on as something to believe in within a crazy world. The only moment this really even breaks, and feels worth mentioning because it is a bit different is when Sensei yells at maybe his son for being lost on his cellphone when asking him to do something. This doesn’t change my, or I would guess most views on Sensei, given it is the quick frustration of dad with his son on a phone and perhaps is the hidden thesis of the film "STAY OFF YOUR PHONE". Anyway beyond that what del Toro offers is a natural warmth and this way of embracing life. Even when a plan goes wrong, such as when Bob falls off a building, del Toro’s delivery and reaction is just “let’s work with it” not in a way that isn’t of a man who doesn’t care, rather just one who takes everything in stride. The bit of taking a selfie after he springs Bob may seem even a silly aside, but I love it for the joy we see on del Toro that emphasizes someone who finds the joy whenever he can. Even more importantly is the moment where Bob pronounces his regrets and del Toro’s "Don't go dark on me, Bob”, is filled with such a sincere warmth of someone who will accentuate the positive whenever he can. Followed by his own expression of freedom, which is living without fear, there’s a bit of craziness in del Toro’s eyes and delivery, also certainty, and sincerity though as he embodies a spirit of someone who knows all that he’s up against yet still takes in stride while finding ways to love life all the same. After watching the film the first time, and liking del Toro’s performance, I did ponder if maybe people were trumpeting it a little too much just due to the likable nature of the character more so than the performance itself. Watching it again, I will say, no, as del Toro is essential in finding that likeability, making his calm believable, making it amusing yet sincere, and offering this altogether hospitable presence for us all within the hostile world of the film.