Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, known for his love of visually rich fantasy and horror tales often showing the beauty in otherwise monstrous beasts, became the latest honoree on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday.
The ceremony comes three days before the release of the horror film "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" for which del Toro wrote the screenplay and served as a producer.
Del Toro, 54, told the crowd that he remembers exploring the Walk of Fame in the 1970s, looking for the stars of horror-thriller legends such as Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Alfred Hitchcock.
"What I felt with those stars is there were people that were as weird as me and they were here, so that gave me hope," he said. "This star is for you, all of you that feel weird to come over and sit for a moment. I don't believe in magic as so, but if I can will a little bit of myself today here in this ground, I will be here, I will spiritually be here for you anytime you want to come.''
Fellow filmmaker J.J. Abrams and singer/songwriter Lana Del Rey were among those joining del Toro at the ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard between Highland and La Brea avenues.
"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" is del Toro's first film since the 2017 fantasy-romance ``The Shape of Water,'' which brought del Toro a best director Oscar. It also won for best picture, with del Toro among the producers.
Del Toro also shared a best original screenplay Oscar nomination with Vanessa Taylor for "The Shape of Water," losing to Jordan Peele for "Get Out."
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The star is the 2,669th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars.
"Guillermo del Toro is a director with one of the most creative and vivid imaginations," Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said. "He has his pulse on a realm of fantasy that has captivated and astounded audiences."
Del Toro initially gained fame for his feature film debut, the 1993 supernatural horror film "Cronos," which he wrote and directed and for which he won the Mercedes-Benz Award as the best feature film in the Critics Week portion of the Cannes Film Festival.
Del Toro's other directing credits include the 2006 fantasy drama "Pan's Labyrinth," which also brought him a best original screenplay Oscar nomination; the 2004 superhero film "Hellboy" and its 2008 sequel "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"; the 2002 superhero film "Blade 2"; the 2013 science-fiction monster film "Pacific Rim"; and the 2015 American gothic romance film "Crimson Peak."
Del Toro was among the executive producers of the second and third "Kung Fu Panda" films and the 2011 animated film "Puss in Boots."
Del Toro was born Oct. 9, 1964, in Guadalajara, Mexico. When del Toro was about eight years old, he began experimenting with his father's Super 8 camera, making short films with "Planet of the Apes" toys and other objects.
Del Toro was a special-effects make-up artist for 10 years and directed several short films before beginning his feature film directing career.
