Giancarlo Esposito's performance as Gus Fring in Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad will continue to get recognition. Only this time, he will be recognized by the state of New Mexico at the Las Cruces International Film Festival.
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul would not have the reputation of being among the greatest TV dramas ever made had it not been for Giancarlo Esposito's portrayal as the two-faced, ruthless, and yet all-around professional drug kingpin Gustavo Fring. This coming April, Esposito will be honored at the Las Cruces International Festival for his performance as Fring in both shows, where he will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment from the Las Cruces International Film Festival.
In an article published by the Albuquerque Journal, Ross Marks, LCIFF founder and executive director, praised Esposito's performance and voiced his excitement to honor the actor at the upcoming festival in the spring. “(Giancarlo Esposito’s) outstanding and diverse body of work has brought so much recognition to our great state,” Marks said. “He is the consummate character actor whose values and work ethic reflect Las Cruces. We are beyond ecstatic to have him as the face of the 2023 film festival.” Marks revealed to the journal Esposito will be in attendance to receive the award.
Esposito will be joining a list of esteemed actors who have received such an award, like William H. Macy, Danny Trejo, Brendan Fraser, George Lopez, Cybill Shepherd, Richard Dreyfuss, and Edward James Olmos. Esposito's upcoming honor will not be the first time in the past year in which performances from actors in the Breaking Bad universe will receive such lofty recognition from the state of New Mexico. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul had statues of their Breaking Bad characters, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, unveiled earlier this year, not just because of their performances as some of the most memorable TV characters ever portrayed but also because their portrayals led to audiences becoming more and more familiar with New Mexico.
Esposito deserves such recognition because there's a strong case that Breaking Bad would not have become an all-time show without Fring's inclusion from season 2 to season 4. Not only was Fring such a layered villain who was always four steps ahead of everyone - which made him the ultimate chess player - but he was the man who Walter White aspired to be as he gradually embraced his Heisenberg persona. So much of what unfolds in Breaking Bad is because of Fring's influence. His turn from an ally to an enemy with Walt felt completely organic, which played a role in the show's best all-around season, season 4. That would not have been possible without Esposito's performance.
For that same reason, one could also argue that his inclusion in Better Call Saul didn't quite live up to the hype since many fans were eagerly awaiting his return with the expectation of his backstory being expanded. Fring's role in Better Call Saul was largely transitioning Mike into the drug game as a hired gun while also staving off Lalo Salamanca from destroying his drug empire. While it still made for captivating storytelling, what fans had been looking forward to was seeing more of Fring's backstory and his personal life, which they didn't really get. That certainly is not on Esposito, and it does not take away from his masterful performances in both shows, which is why he's getting this well-deserved honor.
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul can currently be streamed on Netflix.
Source: Albuquerque Journal