Better Call Saulwould have been a completely different series ifGiancarlo Espositohadn’t returned as criminal mastermind and Los Pollos Hermanos owner Gus Fring. While the character didn’t show up until the third season, he quickly became one of the show’s most important characters. With Esposito back in the role, theBreaking Badprequel was able to delve further into Fring’s history, including a compelling story arc involving his feud with nemesis Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton).
It was not an immediate yes from Esposito when he was asked to return as Gus, however. Esposito had previously garnered widespread praise from fans and critics for his unforgettable performance as Gus inBreaking Bad, and this had him concerned that a return could potentially tarnish that good work. After some talks with series co-creator Vince Gilligan, however, Esposito realized they were on the same page, and he agreed to sign on. As Esposito explains in a new interview withGQ:
“Big decision for me to make. I felt like I was going through the same dance, and I hope I didn’t stress anyone out at Buena Vista Productions of Vince. But, I felt like, I didn’t wanna go back. In my brain, I was like, ‘I can’t mess with that guy. That guy is done, man. He’s history. He’s iconic. I don’t wanna mess with him anymore.'”
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Gicancarlo Esposito Wanted to Do Something Different as Gus
Esposito says Gilligan told him he’d be part of the ensemble cast, asking him to do pretty much the same thing he’d done with the character onBreaking Bad. But Esposito says he wanted to be challenged by the role before accepting, and given how the show was a prequel that would allow for some more vulnerability in the character, the actor was intrigued.
“I went, ‘No, don’t choose that. Choose to surpass that.’ So, what are your obstacles? All of this was in my decision making process. What can you do differently? How can you create a different Gus? It is before the time period of Breaking Bad. Okay, so he’s more volatile, he’s less controlled. All these things went into the basket and I said, ‘Yes.'”
It was a good call, as Esposito has been widely praised for his return as Gus inBetter Call Saul. This includes a recent win at the Critics’ Choice TV Awards for Best Supporting Actor with his performance as Gus in the show’s final season. He’d previously won the same award when playing Gus forBreaking Bad.
