Giancarlo Esposito made an appearance on a recent episode of SiriusXM’s “Jim & Sam” show, where he discussed his new AMC drama series “Parish” and shared a surprising revelation. Before landing his iconic role as Gus Fring on “Breaking Bad,” Esposito was facing financial hardship to the point where he contemplated arranging his own murder. The actor thought about this drastic measure around 2008, a year before “Breaking Bad” transformed his career and led to opportunities in “The Mandalorian,” “The Boys,” and other projects.
When asked about his journey out of near bankruptcy in 2008, Esposito shared a deeply personal and heart-wrenching moment. He recalled, “In my darkest hour, a thought crossed my mind: ‘If someone commits suicide, do they still receive life insurance? Would my family be taken care of?'” His wife was perplexed by his seemingly random questions, but little did she know, he was already formulating a plan. Esposito contemplated a drastic measure, hoping that a staged accident would secure the insurance money for his four children. It was a desperate and difficult time for him, and the idea of self-annihilation became an option in order to ensure his children’s future.
Esposito expressed that this was the moment when he first began to realize that there might be a solution, but he quickly recognized that pursuing this path would mean abandoning his children. He contemplated the long-lasting pain and trauma that his absence would inflict upon them, which would only perpetuate the generational suffering he was striving to break free from. It was during this challenging period that he found solace in the TV series “Breaking Bad,” which became a guiding light for him.
Esposito portrayed the character of Gus Fring in a total of 26 episodes of the acclaimed series “Breaking Bad.” He later returned to reprise the role in the prequel series “Better Call Saul,” appearing in 34 episodes. In a recent interview with British GQ, Esposito expressed his keen interest in reprising the character once again for a third time in a prequel series focused on the compelling villain.
“Yeah, I’d be all for it,” he replied. “In my backstory, he’s a military man who climbed the ranks and could have even become president or a dictator, gaining ultimate control. But he craved something beyond the grasp of others – he wanted to be the master of his own destiny. So, he ventured off to America to forge a new path, becoming a meth dealer, a savvy entrepreneur.”
Giancarlo Esposito’s highly anticipated AMC drama, “Parish,” is set to make its debut without any advertisements. The premiere episode will air between the finale of “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” and the first look of “Book of Carol.” This exclusive event ensures an uninterrupted viewing experience for fans eagerly awaiting the new series.
“I believe that when he was younger, he had the potential to be more like Tony Montana,” Esposito reflected. “However, he managed to mature and develop the ability to be more composed, attentive, and perceptive of his emotions. It’s possible that we might see a transformation in Gus, a rise to power.”
You can watch Esposito’s complete interview on the “Jim & Sam” show in the video provided below.
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