Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (born April 26, 1958) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Gus Fring in the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad from 2009 to 2011 and its prequel series Better Call Saul from 2017 to 2022. He won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series twice for this role. He earned three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
His other television roles include federal agent Mike Giardello in the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street (1998–1999), Sidney Glass / Magic Mirror in the ABC fantasy series Once Upon a Time (2011–2017), Tom Neville in the NBC series Revolution (2012–2014), Dr. Edward Ruskins in the Netflix series Dear White People (2017–2021), Stan Edgar in the Amazon series The Boys (2019–present) and The Boys Presents: Diabolical (2022), and Moff Gideon in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019–2023), the lattermost of which earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He also portrayed Adam Clayton Powell Jr. in the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem (2019–present), acted in the HBO drama series Westworld (2016), and starred in the Netflix television series Kaleidoscope (2023), The Gentlemen (2024), and The Residence (2025).
He is also known for his collaboration with Spike Lee, acting in several of his films, such as School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo' Better Blues (1990), and Malcolm X (1992). His other major films include Taps (1981), King of New York (1990), Bob Roberts (1992), Fresh (1994), The Usual Suspects (1995), Ali (2001), Monkeybone (2001), Last Holiday (2006), Rabbit Hole (2010), Okja (2017), Megalopolis (2024), MaXXXine (2024), and Captain America: Brave New World (2025). He voiced Akela in the live-action remake of The Jungle Book (2016).
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Known For
Please Don't Feed the Children
2025
The Electric State
Colonel Bradbury / The Marshall
2025
Captain America: Brave New World
Sidewinder
2025
Megalopolis
Mayor Cicero
2024
MaXXXine
Teddy Knight, Esq.
2024
Abigail
Lambert
2024
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Baxter Stockman (voice)
2023
Euphoria
Taxi Driver
2022
Bonnie
Self
2022
Beauty
Beauty's Father
2022
For NYC
2020
Coda
Paul
2020
Stuck
Lloyd
2019
Maze Runner: The Death Cure
Jorge
2018
The Show
Mason Washington
2017
Okja
Frank Dawson
2017
Unacknowledged
Narrator
2017
Brother Nature
Congressman Frank McClaren
2016
On Meditation
Self
2016
Money Monster
Captain Powell
2016
The Jungle Book
Akela (voice)
2016
The Pills: Sempre meglio che lavorare
Il Boss
2016
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Jorge
2015
I Did Not Forget You
Dr. Sabian
2015
Poker Night
Bernard
2014
Batman: Assault on Arkham
Black Spider / Eric Needham (voice)
2014
Son of Batman
Ra's al Ghul (voice)
2014
Requiem for the Big East
Narrator
2014
Timms Valley
Pruit Normings
2013
They Die by Dawn
Rufus Buck
2013
Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal
Self
2013
Over/Under
Oliver Ohrt
2013
Alex Cross
Daramus Holiday
2012
Certainty
Father Heery
2011
Dreaming American
Daytona LeMans
2011
S.W.A.T.: Firefight
Inspector Hollander
2011
Rabbit Hole
Auggie
2010
Gospel Hill
Dr. Palmer
2008
Xenophobia
Young
2008
Mano
Nino
2007
Feel The Noise
Roberto Vega
2007
The Box
Dwayne Burkhalter
2007
Sherrybaby
Parole Officer Hernandez
2006
Rain
Ken Arnold
2006
Last Holiday
Senator Dillings
2006
Derailed
Detective Church
2005
Carlito's Way: Rise to Power
Little Jeff
2005
Back in the Day
Benson Cooper
2005
I Will Avenge You, Iago!
Director
2005
Chupacabra Terror
Dr. Peña
2005
Hate Crime
Detective Esposito
2005
A Killer Within
Vargas
2004
Noise
Hank
2004
Blind Horizon
J.C. Reynolds
2003
Ash Tuesday
Karl
2003
Ali
Cassius Clay, Sr.
2001
Piñero
Miguel Algarin
2001
Monkeybone
Hypnos
2001
Homicide: The Movie
Mike Giardello
2000
Josephine
Spike
2000
Thirst
Dr. Lawrence Carver
1998
Naked City: Justice with a Bullet
Chaz Villanueva
1998
Where's Marlowe?
Blind Man (uncredited)
1998
Phoenix
Louie
1998
Twilight
Reuben Escobar
1998
Stardust
Mr. Peavey
1998
Trouble on the Corner
Darryl
1997
Five Desperate Hours
Joseph Grange
1997
Big City Blues
Georgie
1997
Nothing to Lose
Charlie Dunt
1997
The Maze
Henry Kunitz
1997
The People
Anthony Rivera
1997
The Tomorrow Man
Jonathan Driscoll
1996
Waiting to Exhale
David Matthews (uncredited)
1995
Reckless
Host Tim Timko
1995
Blue in the Face
Tommy Finelli
1995
The Keeper
Paul Lamont
1995
The Usual Suspects
Jack Baer
1995
Smoke
1st OTB Man / Tommy
1995
Kla$h
Stoney
1995
Fresh
Esteban
1994
Benders
Jack
1994
Seven Songs for Malcolm X
Autobiography Reading (voice)
1993
Amos & Andrew
The Reverend Fenton Brunch
1993
Mood Indigo
Arthur Sistrunk
1993
Malcolm X
Thomas Hayer
1992
Bob Roberts
Bugs Raplin
1992
Night on Earth
YoYo
1991
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
Jimmy Jiles
1991
Mo' Better Blues
Left Hand Lacey (Piano)
1990
King of New York
Lance
1990
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
Self
1989
Do the Right Thing
Buggin Out
1989
School Daze
Julian 'Dean Big Brother Almighty' Eaves
1988
Heartbeat
Gang Member #1
1987
Sweet Lorraine
Howie
1987
Maximum Overdrive
Videoplayer
1986
Roanoak
Simon Fernandes
1986
Desperately Seeking Susan
Street Vendor
1985
Finnegan Begin Again
Intruder
1985
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Elisha
1985
The Cotton Club
Bumpy Hood
1984
The Brother from Another Planet
Man Being Arrested (uncredited)
1984
Enormous Changes at the Last Minute
Julio
1983
Taps
Cadet Captain J.C. Pierce
1981
The Gentleman Bandit
Jamie
1981
The Long Home
The Prince
The Cat in the Hat
(voice)
2026
Armin Mueller-Stahl - Ein Gaukler in Hollywood
Self
2021
Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine
Self - Narrator (voice) · (3 episodes)
2021
The Eisen Hour
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2021
Unpregnant
Bob
2020
Stargirl
Archie Brubaker
2020
Line of Duty
Tom Volk
2019
The Nagano Tapes
Narrator
2018
Miracle on 42nd Street
self
2017
DuckTales
Phantom Blot (voice) · (3 episodes)
2017
PAYDAY THE MOVIE
The Dentist
2016
Enzian: When the Lights Go Up
Self (archive footage)
2015
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
Self
2014
Blood River Crossing
Narrator
2013
Revolution
Major Tom Neville · (42 episodes)
2012
Once Upon A Time
Magic Mirror/Sidney Glass
2011
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
Gordon Ramirez · (1 episode)
2011
PoliWood
Self
2009
Chelsea on the Rocks
Tip
2008
New Amsterdam
James Lawson · (1 episode)
2008
Racing Daylight
Fred
2007
South Beach
Robert Fuentes · (8 episodes)
2006
Bones
Richard Benoit · (1 episode)
2005
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Orlando Ramirez · (1 episode)
2005
Doing Hard Time
Captain Pierce
2004
5ive Days to Midnight
Tim Sanders · (5 episodes)
2004
NYPD 2069
Lt. Garner
2004
Girls Club
(9 episodes)
2002
Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool
Self
1994
Rockabye
Marcus
1986
Out Come the Wolves
Kill Me
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
By Any Means
Vernon Dahmer
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
Karoshi
The Residence
A.B. Wynter · (8 episodes)
2025
Parish
Gracián 'Gray' Parish · (6 episodes)
2024
The Gentlemen
Stanley Johnston (Uncle Stan) · (4 episodes)
2024
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Granite (voice) · (1 episode)
2023
Poker Face
Fred Finch · (1 episode)
2023
Kaleidoscope
Leo Pap · (9 episodes)
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2022
The Boys Presents: Diabolical
Stan Edgar (voice) · (1 episode)
2022
Show Me More
Self - "Gus Fring" · (2 episodes)
2021
By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem
Himself · (4 episodes)
2020
Prime Rewind: Inside The Boys
Self · (1 episode)
2020
The Broken and the Bad
Self · (6 episodes)
2020
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
The Grandfather · (1 episode)
2020
Disney Gallery / Star Wars: The Mandalorian
Self - Moff Gideon · (4 episodes)
2020
Harley Quinn
Lex Luthor (voice) · (11 episodes)
2019
The Mandalorian
Moff Gideon · (9 episodes)
2019
Godfather of Harlem
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. · (14 episodes)
2019
Creepshow
Doc · (1 episode)
2019
Game Changer
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
(1 episode)
2019
The Boys
Meerkat Stan Edgar (voice) · (1 episode)
2019
The Boys
Stanford 'Stan' Edgar · (9 episodes)
2019
Jett
Charlie Baudelaire · (9 episodes)
2019
Dallas & Robo
Victor Goldsmith · (8 episodes)
2018
Dear White People
Narrator · (40 episodes)
2017
Better Call Saul Employee Training
Gustavo Fring · (10 episodes)
2017
Rebel
Charles · (9 episodes)
2017
Westworld
El Lazo · (1 episode)
2016
The Get Down
Pastor Ramon Cruz · (11 episodes)
2016
Better Call Saul
Gus Fring · (40 episodes)
2015
Allegiance
Oscar Christoph · (7 episodes)
2015
The Game Awards
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (1 episode)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Drunk History
Andrés Pico · (1 episode)
2013
The Haunting Of...
Self · (1 episode)
2012
NYC 22
Harvey Williams · (1 episode)
2012
Once Upon a Time
Sidney Glass / Magic Mirror · (14 episodes)
2011
Conan
Self · (1 episode)
2010
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Self · (1 episode)
2009
Community
Gilbert Lawson · (2 episodes)
2009
Leverage
Alexander Moto · (1 episode)
2008
Breaking Bad
Gus Fring · (28 episodes)
2008
Kidnapped
(1 episode)
2006
Ghost Whisperer
Ely Fisher · (1 episode)
2005
Las Vegas
(1 episode)
2003
Half & Half
Darrell Washington · (1 episode)
2002
CSI: Miami
Chief Braga · (3 episodes)
2002
Street Time
Jesse Haslim · (1 episode)
2002
100 Centre Street
Jacob Lenz · (1 episode)
2001
The Division
Dr. Pembroke · (1 episode)
2001
The $treet
Tom Divack · (12 episodes)
2000
Strong Medicine
James 'Junior' Bell · (1 episode)
2000
Soul Food
Jules · (2 episodes)
2000
Click
Self · (1 episode)
2000
Third Watch
Father Romero · (1 episode)
1999
Creature
Lt. Thomas Peniston / Werewolf · (2 episodes)
1998
The Hunger
Vampire · (1 episode)
1997
The Practice
Ray McMurphy · (1 episode)
1997
Nash Bridges
(1 episode)
1996
Swift Justice
(1 episode)
1996
Touched by an Angel
Antonio Gaudi · (1 episode)
1994
Chicago Hope
(1 episode)
1994
New York Undercover
Adolfo Guzman · (3 episodes)
1994
Bakersfield P.D.
Detective Paul Gigante · (17 episodes)
1993
Fallen Angels
Paris Minton · (1 episode)
1993
Homicide: Life on the Street
Michael Giardello · (22 episodes)
1993
Law & Order
Defense Attorney Rodney Fallon · (3 episodes)
1990
Law & Order
Attorney Baylor · (1 episode)
1990
Leg Work
Tyson · (1 episode)
1987
The Equalizer
Jumpin' Jack · (1 episode)
1985
Miami Vice
Adonis Jackson · (1 episode)
1984
Miami Vice
Luther · (1 episode)
1984
Miami Vice
Ricky · (1 episode)
1984
Trading Places
Cellmate #2
1983
Running
Puerto Rican Teenager
1979
Tutti a squola
1979
Et Salammbo?
1970