Noted villain Giancarlo Esposito wants to do comedy: 'I'm actually quite fun after 6 p.m.'
Noted Villain Giancarlo Esposito Wants to Do Comedy
Giancarlo Esposito wants to do comedy despite his usual portrayal of baddies.
You probably know Giancarlo Esposito as the iconic, icy villain Gus Fring on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Or you may know him as the less-iconic but still villainous Moff Gideon on The Mandalorian. At the very least, that's how Emmy voters know him; Esposito received nods for both of those roles this year. But the actor wants everyone to know, for the record: He can be funny, too!
Indeed, Esposito would very much like the chance to show off his comedy chops on screen. During EW's multi-nominees Emmy roundtable, the actor noted his envy of fellow participants such as Maya Rudolph, Dan Levy, and Wanda Sykes who are known primarily for their comedic work, adding that he'd like the chance to play against his established type.
"I'm so jealous of all of you who are in comedy, because that's where I'd like to go, and experience that feeling," Esposito said. "Because in off-hours, truth be told, I'm lighter than people know me as....I'm actually quite fun after 6 p.m."
"We perform because we are enthused by it and get filled up by it, but who wants to do the same thing all the time?" he added. "I would do anything to be able to experience the true juice of being able to have fun, yet move people, whether it be comedy, drama, or otherwise."
Esposito has ventured into comedy on occasion, appearing on shows like Drunk History and Community, but has rarely gotten the chance to give a truly comedic performance. (He does, however, have his share of humorous moments in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, a movie not always given credit for how funny it is.)
Levy, too, would like the chance to stretch a bit: "I would love to explore drama, I would love to explore musicals, and everything in between," he said. However, "It really just comes down to the idea," he added. "Does the idea have legs? Is it compelling? Will it be challenging for the actors that are a part of it? That, I think, is the throughline through all of this. And it's always kind of remarkable to me to have certain conversations where people don't see that, where you're defined by genre, versus what you're actually bringing to the table."
You can watch the full roundtable above.
For more Emmys scoop, listen to EW’s 'The Awardist' podcast: Interviews with Andre Braugher, Ted Danson, Cate Blanchett, and more!
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