Giancarlo Esposito

Giancarlo Esposito plays Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. His measured delivery makes the smallest adjustment in expression worth watching. Courtesy, in his hands, can leave the person on the other side of the conversation very uncertain about where they stand.

Esposito's film career includes several collaborations with Spike Lee, notably Do the Right Thing. That performance is a useful reminder that his range extends well beyond the controlled manner associated with Gus. He can be expansive, funny and confrontational as well as restrained.

His television roles also include Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian and Stan Edgar in The Boys. Those parts make use of his authority in different settings. What makes him compelling is the precision: he can give an ordinary line the weight of a decision without making the delivery sound laboured.