Guillermo del Toro Got Help from James Cameron When His Father Was Kidnapped

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Guillermo del Toro, the director of Frankenstein, shared a story about how James Cameron helped him during a difficult time almost 30 years ago: his father’s kidnapping. The two directors became friends when del Toro was starting his career and Cameron had just demonstrated the power of computer-generated imagery with the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Their connection began during del Toro’s early work on the film Cronos.

Guillermo del Toro described his close relationship with his brother, saying, ‘He’s my brother, and we’re incredibly close—I love him very much.’ He shared this during an interview on The Hollywood Reporter‘s ‘Awards Chatter’ podcast. He then recounted a story from the past, explaining that when his father, Federico, was kidnapped in Guadalajara, the criminals knew about the money he had won in the 1969 lottery.

1998 was a terrible year – right after the release of Mimic, my father was kidnapped. I had just dealt with a difficult situation with the Weinsteins, and then this happened – it was the second most traumatic experience of my life. He was held for 72 days, and we had to negotiate for his release. My dad, despite having money, raised us to be very hardworking. I remember my brother complaining about chores, saying we were rich, and my dad responding, ‘I’m rich, you’re not!’ He’d make us earn anything we wanted. If we asked for something like film reels for a Super 8 camera, he’d send us to clean out the spare parts warehouse – he never just gave us money directly. None of us had access to his wealth.

We were completely broke when the kidnappers contacted us. They first called my brother, telling him they had our father. He immediately called me and said, ‘They’ve got him.’ I understood instantly. I rushed home, and then they called again, demanding $3 million within three days and $5 million within five days, threatening to send our father’s head back to us in a box if we didn’t pay.

I spoke with Jim, and he told me he was sending someone from England to negotiate. He followed through on that promise. While people believe a ransom was paid, that wasn’t the case. Jim did, however, cover the cost of the negotiator. These kidnappings often operate like franchises – one group manages multiple cases, handling them with a standardized process of demands and threats, sometimes even sending disturbing items as proof. In fact, the same person was coordinating four different kidnappings happening in the city simultaneously.

Guillermo del Toro and his brothers worked together to handle the kidnapping of Federico. Del Toro specifically managed the final stage of phone calls with those involved. He jokes that when people ask if he had a difficult conversation with the studio, his answer is a firm ‘no!’ Ultimately, the family paid a $1 million ransom to secure Federico’s release.

‘Frankenstein’ Director’s Casual Feelings Towards Death


Ken Woroner /© Netflix /Courtesy Everett Collection

At the Marrakech Film Festival, Guillermo del Toro – known for films that frequently explore themes of life and death – discussed his perspective on encountering death. According to a report in Variety, he explained his thoughts to the audience, saying:

People often ask why anyone would want to live a long life. Personally, I actually welcome the idea of death. I think it’s a positive thing – a release. I look forward to it as a day when all worries and troubles will simply disappear.

I’m really excited about Guillermo del Toro’s next project! After Frankenstein, he’s teaming up with Oscar Isaac again for a thriller called Fury. He says it’s going to be pretty intense – very cruel and violent, actually. Apparently, it’s going to be more like his earlier films, Nightmare Alley, and less focused on big fantasy elements. He shared some details about it recently in Empire Magazine.




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Tested by Terror: Cameron, del Toro & Hollywood’s Real-Life Heroics
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Looking at my previous films – from ‘Cronos’ all the way to ‘Crimson Peak’ – you can see a consistent style, pacing, and emotional core. But I’m ready for a change. I really want to explore something completely different now.

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2026-01-18 20:50