Breaking Bad’s Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring coming to Kingdom Feb. 17

JEDDAH: Giancarlo Esposito, the actor best known as Gus Fring in the television series “Breaking Bad,” will be one of the international celebrity guests featured in the Saudi Comic Con (SCC).
Esposito, who previously visited Riyadh, mentioned to his representatives that he would be interested in seeing “other parts of this beautiful country and Saudi Comic Con was brought to my attention,” he said in an exclusive interview with Arab News.
He said that he loved the Saudi culture and its people and enjoyed his stay in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia was not the only stop in the Gulf, as Esposito has also visited Bahrain in the past years.
The idea of bringing the Comic Con event to Saudi Arabia for the first time interested the “Breaking Bad” star.
“It’s great! The young and old have such a good time at Comic Cons. It’s wonderful to be a part of the first Comic Con and I hope many more will come from this,” he said.
Esposito expressed his enthusiasm for meeting his fans from different countries and “Saudi Arabia especially.”
In 1988, he landed his breakout role as the leader of the black fraternity “Gamma Phi Gamma” in director Spike Lee’s film School Daze. Over the next four years, Esposito and Lee collaborated on three other movies: “Do the Right Thing,” “Mo’ Better Blues” and “Malcolm X.”
The actor’s famous character “Gus” from the “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” television series is a major drug kingpin initially affiliated with the Mexican drug cartel in Ciudad Juárez, who uses his restaurant as a front for methamphetamine distribution throughout the American southwest.
He returns to reprise the role in the third season of “Better Call Saul.”
Esposito appeared in several international Comic Cons, which are some of his favorites.
“I’m looking forward to be in the very first Saudi Arabia Comic Con Feb. 17th,” he said. “Come on and say hello to me! You will not be disappointed. Really looking forward to my live Q & A and meeting each and every one of you,” he said in his announcement video to Arab News readers.
Esposito said that Gus Fring character challenging. “I felt like I had to become very relaxed, patient, focused and fierce to play him,” he said.
He talked about defying challenging obstacles in his job. On one occasion he took the stage after throwing out his back right before performing a play in New York. “I just remember being in pain, intense pain. I thought to myself before I hit the stage, to use it!”
Esposito had the best performance that evening and the pain eventually went away. He reminded people that when they put their attention in the right place, “all goes well no matter what.”
Talking about the most extreme change to his physical appearance, Esposito has gained weight for roles in the past; where he gained about 25 pounds in Spike Lee’s, Do the Right Thing.
As for his acting style, Esposito said that he takes the best and leaves the rest. He believes in being present and honoring the text. “I am present and nonresistant in my acting style.”
Esposito’s first role was in Broadway show called Maggie Flynn back in 1967.
Meanwhile, the star is working on his second film as a director premiering at SXSW in Austin. The film is called “This Is Your Death” and stars Josh Duhamel and himself.
Esposito said he wants to play Hailie Salasie of Ethiopia make a western playing Bass Reeves.”
Comic Con is an international event that was first held in San Diego, California in 1970. It is now an annual event held in popular cities around the world.