Giancarlo Esposito is one of those performers whom everyone will likely recognize when he enters the screen. Indeed, Esposito has been involved in many successful productions across film and TV. He has been highly awarded for these performances, earning Emmy Awards and winning the hearts of audiences and critics. With a career that spans several decades, he is considered one of the greatest actors working today. Esposito’s most memorable performances are likely found in successful TV shows, like The Mandalorian, Breaking Bad, and Once Upon a Time. That said, his work in film, such as The Usual Suspects, deserves equal recognition.
As talented as he is, it’s no wonder, then, that Marvel Studios has been knocking on his door. In fact, he recently revealed passing on a Loki role in the hopes of nabbing something bigger, confirming his desire to play Professor X in an upcoming MCU X-Men project. Per Giant Freakin Robot, Esposito says he would play the infamous character “with force, grace, and a calm.” Fans seem to agree as, per Comicbook.com, fanart of Esposito as Professor X has already flooded the internet. We’ll have to wait and see if his meeting with Kevin Feige proves fruitful. Until then, here are Giancarlo Esposito’s best performances, ranked.
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8 Godfather of Harlem
Epix
Godfather of Harlem is an Epix series that premiered in 2019 and is a prequel to the 2007 movie American Gangster starring Denzel Washington. The series is written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker in the leading role as New York gangster Bumpy Johnson, who struggles with power against the Italian crime families of New York. Esposito stars as Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, who is a real-life figure. His character has a love-hate relationship with Malcolm X, and his lifestyle conflicts with his strong religious beliefs.
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7 The Get Down
Netflix
The Get Down is a musical drama series created by Baz Luhrmann. It debuted on Netflix in 2016, however, sadly only ran for one season. The series is set in The Bronx in New York in the late-70s. Esposito plays the role of a preacher named Ramon Cruz, who is the head of the Pentecostal church that has hundreds of followers, making him a prominent figure in the community. The series was a success, and so was Esposito, who embodies his role perfectly.
6 Community
NBC / Yahoo
Community is a sitcom series that ran for six seasons and is widely regarded by critics as one of the best comedy shows of all time. The series developed a cult following and received widespread critical acclaim throughout its run on air. In Community, Esposito plays Gilbert Lawson, who is the half-brother to Pierce Hawthorne, a successful tycoon. His performance is great and adds to the legacy of Community in the comedy sphere. It’s also refreshing to see Esposito in a comedy role, which he does not do often.
5 Once Upon a Time
ABC
Once Upon a Time is a fantasy drama series that aired for seven seasons on ABC from 2011 to 2018. The series alternates between two worlds: a fantasy world that is full of fairy tales, and the real world, where the audience learn about the backstory of the townspeople who were once fairy tale characters. Esposito plays the magic mirror in this series, which is an interesting kind of role we have never seen him in before, and he brings his excellent acting to the character, which boosted the overall success of the series.
4 The Usual Suspects
MGM
The Usual Suspects was released in 1995 and is a neo-noir film directed by Bryan Singer, featuring a main cast that includes Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, and Kevin Spacey. The film follows the interrogation of a small conman who is one of only two survivors of a massacre that took place on a ship. Esposito plays FBI Agent Jack Baer, who investigates the boat incident throughout the film. The Usual Suspects is widely regarded as one of the best movies ever made, and even though his screen time is not as large as the other actors, Esposito makes sure to be noticed in this film.
3 Westworld
HBO
Westworld is a science fiction Western series that began broadcasting on HBO in 2016. The series focuses on a fictional amusement park, where high-paying guests can live out their fantasies in the dystopian world, which is human-made so that the guests don’t have any fear of retaliation from the game’s characters. Esposito plays El Lazo, who is an outlaw that only appears briefly on the show but still manages to make a strong impact. He drives forward the plot of the series, and, as always, Esposito brings his excellent acting talents to the Westworld universe.
2 The Mandalorian
Lucasfilm / Disney
The Mandalorian was created by Jon Favreau for Disney+, and is the first live-action spin-off series that exists within the Star Wars franchise. The series begins five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, and premiered in 2019 alongside the launch of Disney’s streaming service. The series has won the heart of fans and critics alike and has been a huge success. Esposito plays Moff Gideon, who is a villain in pursuit of baby Grogu. He has a huge significance in the series, and his performance as this character is great to watch.
1 Breaking Bad
AMC
Breaking Bad needs no introduction, being one of the most celebrated and watched series of recent memory. It tells the story of a high school chemistry teacher who has been diagnosed with stage three lung cancer, who turns to a life of crime, partnering with a former student to produce crystal meth. Esposito plays Gustavo Fring, who is the owner of the Los Pollos restaurant chain, doubling as a drug kingpin with links to the cartel. His character is central to the plot and develops throughout the show’s run. Esposito embodies the character easily, making this a standout performance in his filmography.
