What happened in this episode?
Guillermo del Toro discusses two crises he says became intertwined with the support he received from film-maker James Cameron: a bruising professional experience on Mimic and the 72-day kidnapping of del Toro’s father. Del Toro recalls Cameron warning him not to take Mimic, and describes Cameron as a close friend who “shows up with lasagna” when things go wrong. The conversation also revisits del Toro’s account that Cameron confronted Harvey Weinstein during an Oscars commercial break; del Toro alleges Miramax “bad-mouthed” him afterwards and that he became “unhireable” for five years.
Del Toro then gives a detailed, first-hand description of the kidnapping, including the initial demand he says the family received — “3 million in 3 days… or we chop his head off” — and how his family struggled to access funds. He says Cameron hired and paid for a professional negotiator (whom del Toro describes as an English agent with Secret Service experience) and offered to pay the ransom himself, an offer del Toro says he declined. Del Toro recounts being advised by the negotiator to write daily during the ordeal, and says he developed projects including The Devil’s Backbone during that period. He also recalls a single proof-of-life call with his father.
