Giancarlo Esposito
Biography
Giancarlo Esposito is an American actor and director who was born in Copenhagen and grew up in Manhattan. He made his Broadway debut as a child in 1968 and later joined the youthful cast of Merrily We Roll Along. His breakout role came in Spike Lee's School Daze (1988), and he went on to appear in Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989) and Mo' Better Blues (1990). Esposito became known for playing authority figures and criminals in films such as Fresh (1994), The Usual Suspects (1995), and Ali (2001). On television, he won critical acclaim as Gus Fring in Breaking Bad (2009 to 2011) and Better Call Saul (2017 to 2022), winning two Critics' Choice Awards and receiving three Emmy nominations. He also earned Emmy nominations as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian (2019 to 2023). His later films include Okja (2017), MaXXXine (2024), and Captain America: Brave New World (2025).
68years old
Turns 69 on April 26in 206 days
- Born Copenhagen
- Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
- Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 59
- Career span
- 46 years1979 to 2025
Genres
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First role
In 1968 Esposito first appeared on Broadway, as a child in Maggie Flynn opposite Shirley Jones. The short-lived musical takes place during the New York Draft Riots.
Big break
In 1988, Esposito got his breakout part in Spike Lee's School Daze, playing the head of the black fraternity Gamma Phi Gamma. The film looks at color relations at black colleges.
Beyond film
Esposito appeared in the youthful cast of the Stephen Sondheim and Prince collaboration Merrily We Roll Along. The show closed in 1981 with 16 performances and 56 previews.
Behind the camera
Esposito made his directorial debut in 2008 with the film Gospel Hill, and he also served as producer and star of that movie.
Giancarlo Esposito movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Spike Lee directed three of these films, Wayne Wang three and Wes Ball two. Samuel L. Jackson appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Samuel L. Jackson's page
John Turturro's page
Laurence Fishburne's page
Bill Nunn's page
Daniel Baldwin's page
Victor Argo's page
All films by Spike Lee
Wayne WangDirector, 3 films, 1995 to 2006
All films by Wayne Wang
Wes BallDirector, 2 films, 2015 to 2018
All films by Wes Ball
Also three films together5 more actors
- José ZúñigaBlue in the Face (1995), Smoke (1995) and Fresh (1994)
- Roger Guenveur SmithThey Die by Dawn (2013), King of New York (1990) and Do the Right Thing (1989)
- Spike LeeMo' Better Blues (1990), Do the Right Thing (1989) and School Daze (1988)
- Nathalie EmmanuelMegalopolis (2024), Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
- Joie LeeMo' Better Blues (1990), Do the Right Thing (1989) and School Daze (1988)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Giancarlo Esposito's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$2.8 billion
35 of the 59 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 59 films: 35 worldwide figure; 5 us gross only; 6 never in cinemas; 1 streaming, short cinema run; 12 figure not found.
- 35Worldwide figure
- 5US gross only
- 6Never in cinemas
- 1Streaming, short cinema run
- 12Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 85% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$967M34.3% of the total
- 2$415M14.7% of the total
- 3$312M11.1% of the total
- 4$288M10.2% of the total
- 5$181M6.4% of the total
- 6$93M3.3% of the total
- 7$88M3.1% of the total
- 8$57M2.0% of the total
$419 millionfrom the other 27 films with a worldwide figure, 15% of the total
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.