Before the Oscars: Del Toro and Cameron Bonded Over Anime as Roommates

Guillermo del Toro and James Cameron may be known today as two of the biggest directors in Hollywood, but long before their Oscar wins and billion-dollar movies, they were just two filmmakers sharing an apartment and watching anime together.

During an appearance on the ReelBlend podcast, del Toro shared that he and Cameron became close friends back in the early 1990s.

Their first meeting happened at a barbecue hosted by actor Ron Perlman. At the time, del Toro had just finished his first feature film Cronos, while Cameron was wrapping up Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The two hit it off right away and soon ended up living together for a while.

Del Toro said that what brought them even closer was their shared love of anime. “We would watch anime together.” More recently, del Toro recalled. “He introduced me to ‘Patlabor,’ I introduced him to ‘Gunnm.’” Those movie nights became part of their routine, and both filmmakers were inspired by the creativity and storytelling found in Japanese animation.

It’s easy to imagine the two of them, sitting in their small place, talking about ideas late into the night while watching giant robots, futuristic cities, and emotional stories play out on screen. Those early experiences clearly left a mark on them. Cameron would later create worlds like Avatar’s Pandora, while del Toro became known for his mix of fantasy and emotion in films like Pan’s Labyrinth.

Their friendship didn’t end when their careers took off. Over the years, they stayed close, and del Toro has often spoken about Cameron’s loyalty and support during difficult times. It’s clear that their connection goes far beyond their shared success in the film industry.

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