History Creator / GiancarloEsposito

* [[Characters/BreakingBadGustavoFring Gustavo "Gus" Fring]]

* Gustavo "Gus" Fring

** In ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' his role as Anton Castillo, "El Presidente" of a Cuba {{Expy}}, the tropical island of Yara. He evokes Gus Fring as he seeks to cement "paradise" in his country via a brutal dictatorship involving creating and selling an anti-cancer drug on the global market and using the enslaved population to help create it, naturally inviting resistance from local guerilla forces.

** 2017–present ''Series/BetterCallSaul''

* 2017–2022''Series/DearWhitePeople'' as Narrator

* 2017–present ''Series/DearWhitePeople'' as Narrator

** In ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' his role as Anton Castillo, "El Presidente" of a Cuba {{Expy}}, the tropical island of Yara. evokes Gus Fring as he seeks to cement "paradise" in his country via a brutal dictatorship involving creating and selling an anti-cancer drug on the global market and using the enslaved population to help create it, naturally inviting resistance from local guerilla forces.

!Tropes, or Lies?
* AmbiguouslyBrown: He's played Hispanic and African characters. And then you have Gus Fring, who is Chilean. Esposito is actually African-American through his mother, and Italian (Neapolitan) through his father (although this could match some real Chileans' ethnic background).
* IronyAsSheIsCast: Esposito, who is Italian-American, plays characters in ''Film/DoTheRightThing'' and ''Series/GodfatherOfHarlem'' who are incredibly hostile towards Italians.
* PlaysGreatEthnics: His earlier roles has him usually playing black guys, while his later ones (especially after ''Series/BreakingBad'') are usually Hispanic.
* SesameStreetCred: By way of RetroactiveRecognition.
* StarMakingRole: His role as Gustavo Fring, the terrifyingly cold and efficient leader of a drug smuggling operation from ''Series/BreakingBad'' more or less made him a household name, and has reappeared in similar roles since.
* TheStoic: His intense, ominous, blank stare is famous for being able to terrify other characters and the audience. It's practically his signature move (one ''Far Cry 6'' used in its advertising).
* TypeCasting: Ever since ''Series/BreakingBad'' he seems to take a lot of roles where he's some sort of [[TheStoic stoic]] criminal mastermind or EvilOverlord. And if it's a work with superpowers involved, he'll almost always play the BadassNormal.
** In ''VideoGame/Payday2'' his role is literally just an {{Expy}} of Gus Fring, only he runs a legitimate dentist business as his front for criminal activity, instead of being a fast food chain owner.
** ''Series/TheMandalorian'' has him basically playing Gus Fring as an {{Expy}} of [[Film/ANewHope Grand Moff Tarkin]], with a little Darth Vader thrown in for good measure.
** In ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' his role as Anton Castillo, "El Presidente" of a Cuba {{Expy}}, the tropical island of Yara. evokes Gus Fring as he seeks to cement "paradise" in his country via a brutal dictatorship involving creating and selling an anti-cancer drug on the global market and using the enslaved population to help create it, naturally inviting resistance from local guerilla forces.
** Giancarlo voices ComicBook/LexLuthor in ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'', though unlike the other roles above, he's more AffablyEvil with a cool demeanor, rather than outright calm and calculating at all times.
** Definitely plays an evil live-action {{Expy}} of Lex Luthor in ''Series/TheBoys'', who can intimidate the Superman expy and his superteam like children.
** In ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'', he voices the Phantom Blot.
** A variant in ''{{Film/Okja}}'': he's an intelligent and suave CorruptCorporateExecutive, but as TheDragon to Nancy Mirando, quietly working against her sister [[ALighterShadeofBlack Lucy]].
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!Film Roles

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* 2021 ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' as "El Presidente" Anton Castillo, dictator of the island country of Yara.

** ''Series/TheMandalorian'' has him basically playing Gus Fring as an {{Expy}} of [[Film/ANewHope Grand Moff Tarkin]], with a little DarthVaderClone thrown in for good measure.

** 2017--present ''Series/BetterCallSaul''

* 2017--present ''Series/DearWhitePeople'' as Narrator

* 2019--present ''[[Series/TheMandalorian Star Wars: The Mandalorian]]'' as Moff Gideon

!Tropes

* AmbiguouslyBrown: He's played Hispanic and African characters. And then you have Gus, who is Chilean. Esposito is actually African-American through his mother and Italian (Neapolitan) through his father (although this could match some real Chileans' ethnic background).

* StarMakingRole: Gustavo Fring from ''Series/BreakingBad'' more or less made him a household name.
* TheStoic: His intense, ominous, blank stare is famous for being able to terrify other characters and the audience. It's practically his signature move.

* TypeCasting: Ever since ''Series/BreakingBad'' he seems to take a lot of roles where he's some sort of [[TheStoic stoic]] criminal mastermind or evil overlord. And if it's a work with superpowers involved, he'll almost always play the BadassNormal.

** His role in ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' looks to be just Gus Fring as an EvilOverlord dictator in an {{Expy}} of Cuba.

* 2021 ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' as Anton Castillo, an evil dictator & antagonist to the player character.

Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (born April 26, 1958) is an American[[note]]albeit born in UsefulNotes/{{Denmark}}[[/note]] actor of Italian descent active in film and television since the age of six. He's been seen in films such as ''Film/DoTheRightThing, Film/TheUsualSuspects, Film/MalcolmX, Film/MaximumOverdrive, Film/TradingPlaces'' and ''Film/KingOfNewYork''. He is also a familar face on television with regular and recurring roles on ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet, Series/OnceUponATime'' and ''{{Revolution}}''. He is perhaps best known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Chilean-American drug kingpin Gustavo 'Gus' Fring on the hit series ''Series/BreakingBad'' and ''Series/BetterCallSaul''. He has four daughters with his ex-wife, Joy [=McManigal=].

* AmbiguouslyBrown: He's played Hispanic and African characters. And then you have Gus, who is Chilean. Esposito is actually African-American and Italian (Neapolitan) (although this could match some real Chileans' ethnic background).

Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (born April 26, 1958) is an American[[note]]albeit born in UsefulNotes/{{Denmark}}[[/note]] actor active in film and television since the age of six. He's been seen in films such as ''Film/DoTheRightThing, Film/TheUsualSuspects, Film/MalcolmX, Film/MaximumOverdrive, Film/TradingPlaces'' and ''Film/KingOfNewYork''. He is also a familar face on television with regular and recurring roles on ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet, Series/OnceUponATime'' and ''{{Revolution}}''. He is perhaps best known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Chilean-American drug kingpin Gustavo 'Gus' Fring on the hit series ''Series/BreakingBad'' and ''Series/BetterCallSaul''. He has four daughters with his ex-wife, Joy [=McManigal=].

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Esposito, who is Italian-American, plays a character in ''Film/DoTheRightThing'' who is incredibly hostile towards Italians.

* 2019 ''[[Series/TheMandalorian Star Wars: The Mandalorian]]'' as Moff Gideon

** 2017-2020 ''Series/BetterCallSaul''

* 2017-ongoing ''Series/DearWhitePeople'' as Narrator

* AmbiguouslyBrown: He's played Hispanic and African characters. And then you have Gus, who is Chilean. Esposito is actually African-American and Italian (although this could match some real Chileans' ethnic background).

** A variant in ''Film/Okja'': he's an intelligent and suave CorruptCorporateExecutive, but as TheDragon to Nancy Mirando, quietly working against her sister [[ALighterShadeofBlack Lucy]].