Guillermo del Toro Shares Why He Relates to Frankenstein’s Monster
Guillermo del Toro pictured alongside Jacob Elordi as The Creature in Frankenstein.
Credit:
Andreas Rentz/Getty; Frank Ockenfels/Netflix
Guillermo del Toro Reflects on His Connection to Frankenstein’s Monster
Director Guillermo del Toro has shared insights into his profound connection with the character of Frankenstein, providing a personal perspective during an interview with Page Six published on December 3.
Del Toro, who premiered his film adaptation of Frankenstein on Netflix on November 7, expressed, "I immediately knew the creature was me." This revelation came as he recounted his first encounter with Mary Shelley’s iconic 1818 novel at the age of 11.
"I didn’t fit into what people thought I should be as a boy growing up in the 60s," del Toro said, resonating with the sense of alienation portrayed by Shelley’s monster. He emphasized the ongoing struggle of aligning personal identity with societal expectations.
The director elaborated on this theme, stating, "It’s about the inner signals aligning with the mainstream or not. With what people think is proper or not." His reflections highlighted the internal conflicts faced by those who feel out of place in the world around them.
Director Guillermo del Toro and Jacob Elordi as The Creature on the set of Frankenstein.
Ken Woroner/Netflix
In his acceptance speech at the 2025 Gotham Awards, del Toro noted the transformative power of Shelley’s work in his life. He described how reading Frankenstein helped him gain clarity about his identity and relationship to the world.
"I understood that back then, through her work and the first glimpse of Boris Karloff, that I did not belong in the world the way my parents, the way the world expected me to fit," he remarked. "That my place was in a faraway land inhabited only by monsters and misfits. They have been my kin ever since."
Del Toro’s adaptation, which features Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the Creature, seeks to explore these themes of identity and belonging, continuing the legacy of Shelley’s timeless narrative.
Jacob Elordi as The Creature in Frankenstein.
Ken Woroner/Netflix
