Home / Arts and Entertainment / Veteran Actor Giancarlo Esposito Defends Villainous Roles: "I Try to Be as Kind as Possible"
Veteran Actor Giancarlo Esposito Defends Villainous Roles: "I Try to Be as Kind as Possible"
30 Oct
Summary
- Giancarlo Esposito insists he tries to play villains as kind and accommodating
- Veronica Falcon and Joaquim de Almeida agree villains should be portrayed as human
- Actors must balance their instincts with the director's vision when playing villains
On October 30, 2025, veteran actor Giancarlo Esposito, known for his roles as villainous drug kingpins and war criminals, insisted that he tries to be as kind and accommodating as possible when portraying these characters. Esposito, who broke out as the villainous Gustavo Fring on Breaking Bad and its spinoff Better Call Saul, argued that villains in film and TV often get a bad rap.
Esposito was joined by fellow actors Veronica Falcon and Joaquim de Almeida, who agreed that they aim to play villains as human beings with complex emotions, rather than one-dimensional antagonists. Falcon, known for her role as a villainess on Queen of the South, explained that bad people in real life don't necessarily see themselves as evil - they may just be doing a job.
The actors also discussed the importance of balancing their own instincts with the director's vision when playing villainous roles. Esposito recalled negotiating with director Baz Luhrmann on the set of The Get Down, insisting he needed to express his own instincts before being moved around. Overall, the panel emphasized the need for more nuanced portrayals of villains in Hollywood, moving beyond the stereotypical "bad guy" trope.
