While the entire cast of Breaking Bad is phenomenal, the standout performer has to be Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring. Terrifying in the best possible way, the fact that Esposito never scored an Emmy for his turn as Gus is one of the great injustices of television. Proving himself to be a consistently fantastic performer on shows like The Get Down and Dear White People, there’s one role that the veteran actor would love to play.
“Sir Anthony spoke of me glowingly when he was asked who should take over or would do another version of Silence of the Lambs. He immediately mentioned my name and sung my praises,” Esposito told IndieWire. When asked if he’d like to play the world’s most famous cannibal, Hannibal Lecter, he said, “Are you kidding me? I would jump all over that—because I feel like [Hopkins] broke new ground with that particular character. He was someone that you really hated, but … in many ways I was intrigued by the way he played that character. I thought, ‘Wow, there’s something very twisted going on, but there’s something you liked about him.’ And so yes, the answer is yes, yes, yes. I would fight to the death to do that.”
Hopkins is famously a huge Breaking Bad fan and even used his clout to get Esposito a role on Westworld. It makes sense, then, that he’d think he’d be a stellar Hannibal, despite Gus and Hannibal being two very different forms of villains.
As Walter White sputtered with entitled impotence and managed to trick his way into success, and Jesse Pinkman fell from grace, Gus Fring was meticulous and ruthless. He rarely allowed himself the outbursts of temper and emotion that characterized Walt, and instead moved with a practiced grace and calm. He had his rage buttons and could be brutal and cruel, but he was never anything less than in control for most of his run.
If you’re playing Hannibal Lecter, you’ve got to be weirdly charismatic and engaging. There’s a reason so many fans love the relationship between Hannibal and Will on Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal. Esposito has charisma in spades and is imminently watchable. Even when you don’t see him, like when he’s narrating episodes of Dear White People, you’re drawn to what he’s saying. In short, he’s perfect for the role.
Esposito will soon enter the Star Wars universe in The Mandalorian (which is music to my ears), but if the opportunity arises for some enterprising young filmmaker to retell Hannibal’s story, let him get the part. There might not be an actor better suited to making us root for one of literature’s vilest serial killers, and if it gets him a well-deserved awards run, then it will be even better.
Also, just cast him in more things in general, as he’s a stellar actor and deserves all the roles!
(via IndieWire, image: AMC)
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