Guillermo Del Toro would ‘rather die’ than use generative AI episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 30, 2026 · 44 MIN

Guillermo Del Toro would ‘rather die’ than use generative AI

from Fresh Air

When Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro was a kid growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, he would draw monsters all day. His deeply Catholic grandmother even had him exorcised because of it. But when del Toro saw the 1931 film ‘Frankenstein,’ his life changed. "I realized I understood my faith or my dogmas better through Frankenstein than through Sunday mass." His adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic book is nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Del Toro spoke with Terry Gross about getting over his fear of death, the design of Frankenstein's creature, and his opinion on generative AI.Also, John Powers reviews the noirish drama ‘Islands.’ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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Guillermo Del Toro would ‘rather die’ than use generative AI

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