Guillermo del Toro: "I am an immigrant...The greatest thing our art does and our industry does is to erase the lines in the sand. We should continue doing that when the world tells us to make them deeper." https://t.co/lJd891ISOk #Oscars pic.twitter.com/PoOitsZvGu
— ABC News (@ABC) March 5, 2018
From Guadalajara, Mexico to the 90th Academy Awards' stage, Guillermo del Toro has come a long way. On Sunday the Mexican-native won his first Oscar for Best Director in the sci-fi romance Shape of Water.
The Latino director had the highest number of nominations at the Oscars, totaling 13. During his acceptance speech, Del Toro said, “I am an immigrant,” name-checking Salma Hayek, Gael García Bernal, and several other Mexican artists who were present in the room. He goes on to say, "In the last 25 years, I've been living in a country all of our own. The greatest thing our industry does is to erase lines in the sand. We should continue to do that," he said.
Many people took to Twitter to celebrate the achievement.
Mi ilustración de Guillermo Del Toro y su danza acuática con el Oscar. para periódico a.m pic.twitter.com/kIKBT8xL8m
— Explosión Sandía (@ExplosionSandia) January 24, 2018
Huge night for MEXICO. You can try to build a wall around our people but you can’t build one around our creativity. #oscars
— Grace Parra (@GraceParra360) March 5, 2018
“The greatest thing our art does is erase the lines in the sand.” @realgdt Congratulations on winning Best Director!! #Oscars
— Karla Souza (@KarlaSouza7) March 5, 2018
“La perfección es una locura, lo imperfecto, lo diverso, es lo que nos permite respirar” Guillermo Del Toro. Que hoy sea su gran noche #Oscars #instamoment https://t.co/AqXtucE8of pic.twitter.com/h5YCYWgGs3
— Claudia Cruz García (@ClauCruzg) March 4, 2018
Four out of the five winners for Best Director come from Mexico.
Esto es increíble. #Oscars
2018 Guillermo del Toro
2017 Damien Chazelle
2016 Alejandro G. Iñárritu
2015 Alejandro G. Iñárritu
2014 Alfonso Cuarón— Beto Pasillas (@betopasillas) March 5, 2018
PLUS: Latino Director Guillermo del Toro is the Big Winner of the 2018 Golden Globes
Watch his acceptance speech above.