Benicio del Toro’s Emmy-Nominated Performance in This 88% RT Miniseries Is a Masterclass in Acting

When it comes to actors with undeniable screen presence, few can match Benicio del Toro. He’s made a career out of disappearing into characters, bringing a quiet intensity that commands attention. From his Oscar-winning turn in Traffic to his brilliant performance in Sicario, del Toro has proven time and again that he can vanish into a role and leave a lasting impact no matter how much time he spends on screen. His latest film, One Battle After Another, has earned him fresh waves of acclaim, but it’s worth remembering the Emmy-nominated performance that reminded audiences just how magnetic he could be on the small screen.

That performance came in Showtime’s Escape at Dannemora. Directed by Ben Stiller, the seven-episode miniseries recounts the true story of the 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility escape that gripped national headlines. At its center is del Toro as Richard Matt, one of the two inmates who orchestrated the breakout with the help of a prison employee. The role earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series, and revisiting it today makes it easy to see why. There’s much to admire about the series as a whole, but it’s del Toro’s chilling, layered performance that makes Escape at Dannemora essential viewing and still worth your attention.

Benicio Del Toro Plays Real-Life Criminal Richard Matt in ‘Escape at Dannemora’

Based on shocking real events, Escape at Dannemora tells the story of two inmates, Richard Matt (del Toro) and David Sweat (Paul Dano), who orchestrated a daring breakout from Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York. Their plan succeeds thanks to Tilly Mitchell (Patricia Arquette), a married prison employee who becomes entangled with both men through manipulation and illicit relationships. While the series captures the logistics of the escape, its real strength lies in exploring the psychology behind it and in showing how the three form a twisted, volatile, and ultimately tragic triangle.

At the center of that dynamic is del Toro. While all three characters are shaped by weaknesses and vulnerabilities, Richard Matt is the most manipulative and chilling, which is a tricky balance that del Toro captures perfectly. He plays Matt as a magnetic presence, capable of charming those around him one moment and instilling fear the next. What makes the performance so riveting is del Toro’s refusal to reduce him to a one-note monster. Instead, he threads in flashes of humanity, grounding Matt in a painful past without ever excusing his brutality. The result is a portrayal that feels disturbingly real and underscores del Toro’s singular power on screen.

It’s no surprise his work earned an Emmy nomination. In a miniseries full of powerhouse performances – Arquette’s shocking transformation won her both an Emmy and a Golden Globe, while Dano delivered some of the best work of his career — del Toro still commands the screen. He’s the kind of actor who can dominate a moment without saying a word, and in Escape at Dannemora, he portrays Richard Matt as someone who can pull people into his orbit to get what he wants.

‘Escape at Dannemora’ Shows Benicio del Toro’s Ability to Humanize Antiheroes

Ben Stiller directing a scene with Benicio del Toro as Richard Matt in ‘Escape at Dannemora’ Image via Showtime

What makes Benicio del Toro’s performance so striking is how he balances menace with humanity. Matt is undeniably a manipulator and a bully, hardened by a rough upbringing and capable of terrifying cruelty. At the same time, he’s intelligent, charismatic, and even artistically gifted, which are all qualities that make it believable when he seduces Tilly or convinces David to risk everything for an escape. The way del Toro plays him, it’s clear that Matt doesn’t know any other way to be, and that tension between that charm and his brutality is what makes del Toro’s portrayal unforgettable. Few actors could play such a duplicitous figure without tipping into caricature, but del Toro does it in the most brilliant way.

That ability to humanize antiheroes without excusing their actions has defined some of del Toro’s greatest work. His chilling embodiment of Richard Matt echoes what he brought to Alejandro in Sicario, a grief-stricken man who turns to violence in his pursuit of justice. In Che, his turn as revolutionary Che Guevara captured both the magnetic charisma of an icon and the darker, more complicated edges of his ideology. With each role, del Toro digs into the layers of these characters, revealing the humanity behind some of their darkest behaviors. It’s that commitment to nuance that makes a strong case for him as one of the finest working actors today.

In the end, Escape at Dannemora is another reminder of del Toro’s singular talent. Not only is it sharply written, brilliantly directed, and packed with standout performances from its entire cast, but it also serves as a showcase for everything del Toro does best. In a career filled with unforgettable performances, his Emmy-nominated performance is one of the defining roles of his career. For anyone who missed it the first time around, this is a series that shouldn’t be ignored.