Giancarlo Esposito | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Esposito in 2025 | |
| Born | Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (1958-04-26)April 26, 1958 (age 67) |
| Citizenship |
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| Alma mater | Elizabeth Seton College |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1968–present |
| Spouse | Joy McManigal (divorced) |
| Children | 4 |
Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (Italian:[dʒaŋˈkarlodʒuˈzɛppealesˈsandroeˈspɔːzito]; born April 26, 1958) is an American actor and director. He rose to prominence for his portrayal ofGus Fring in theAMC crime drama seriesBreaking Bad (2009–2011), a role he reprised in the spin-offBetter Call Saul (2017–2022). For this role, Esposito won theCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series twice and earned three nominations for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
His other television roles include federal agentMike Giardello in theNBC seriesHomicide: Life on the Street (1998–1999),Sidney Glass / Magic Mirror in theABC fantasy seriesOnce Upon a Time (2011–2017), Tom Neville in the NBC seriesRevolution (2012–2014), Dr. Edward Ruskins in theNetflix seriesDear White People (2017–2021),Stan Edgar in theAmazon seriesThe Boys (2019–present) andThe Boys Presents: Diabolical (2022), andMoff Gideon in theDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian (2019–2023), the lattermost of which earned him twoPrimetime Emmy Award nominations. He also portrayedAdam Clayton Powell Jr. in theMGM+ seriesGodfather of Harlem (2019–2023), acted in theHBO drama seriesWestworld (2016), and starred in the Netflix television seriesKaleidoscope (2023),The Gentlemen (2024), andThe Residence (2025). In 2025, he also had a guest role in the second season of the crime mystery seriesPoker Face.
He is also known for his collaboration withSpike Lee acting in several of his films, such asSchool Daze (1988),Do the Right Thing (1989),Mo' Better Blues (1990), andMalcolm X (1992). His other major films includeTaps (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), andCaptain America: Brave New World (2025). He voicedAkela in the live-action remake ofThe Jungle Book (2016).
Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito was born inCopenhagen, Denmark.[1][3] He is the son of Giovanni "John" C. Esposito (1931–2002),[5] an Italian stagehand and carpenter fromNaples, and Elizabeth "Leesa" Foster (1926–2017),[6] an African-American opera and nightclub singer fromAlabama.[2][7][5][8]
Esposito lived inRome, Italy, until he was five, when his family moved to the United States, settling inManhattan, New York City.[3][9] He attendedElizabeth Seton College in New York and earned a two-year degree in radio and television communications.[9]
Esposito made hisBroadway debut in 1968, playing a child oppositeShirley Jones in the short-lived musicalMaggie Flynn (1968), set during theNew York Draft Riots of 1863.[10] He was also a member of the youthful cast of theStephen Sondheim–Harold Prince collaborationMerrily We Roll Along, which closed with 16 performances and 56 previews in 1981.
During the 1980s, Esposito appeared in films such asMaximum Overdrive,King of New York, andTrading Places. He also performed in TV shows such asMiami Vice andSpenser: For Hire. He played J. C. Pierce, a cadet in the 1981 movieTaps.[11]
In 1988, he landed his breakout role as the leader ("Dean Big Brother Almighty") of the black fraternity "Gamma Phi Gamma" in directorSpike Lee's filmSchool Daze, exploring color relations at black colleges. Over the next four years, Esposito and Lee collaborated on three other movies:Do the Right Thing,Mo' Better Blues, andMalcolm X. During the 1990s, Esposito appeared in the acclaimed indie filmsNight on Earth,Fresh andSmoke, as well as its sequelBlue in the Face. He also appeared in the mainstream filmsHarley Davidson and the Marlboro Man withMickey Rourke,Reckless withMia Farrow, andWaiting to Exhale starringWhitney Houston andAngela Bassett. In 1996, Esposito was featured in a music video "California" by French superstarMylène Farmer, directed byAbel Ferrara.
Esposito played FBI agentMike Giardello on the TV crime dramaHomicide: Life on the Street. That role drew from both his African American andItalian ancestry. He played this character during the show's seventh and final season, and reprised the role for its 2000 made-for-TV movie. He had another multiracial role as Sergeant Paul Gigante in the television comedy,Bakersfield P.D.
In 1997, Esposito played the film roles of Darryl inTrouble on the Corner and Charlie Dunt inNothing to Lose. Other TV credits includeNYPD Blue,Law & Order,The Practice,New York Undercover, andFallen Angels: Fearless.
Esposito has portrayed drug dealers (Fresh,Breaking Bad,King of New York,Better Call Saul,The Gentlemen), policemen (The Usual Suspects,Derailed),political radicals (Bob Roberts,Do the Right Thing), and ademonic version of theGreek god of sleepHypnos from another dimension (Monkeybone). In 2001, he playedCassius Marcellus Clay Sr. inAli, andMiguel Algarín, friend and collaborator ofNuyorican poetMiguel Piñero, inPiñero.
In 2002, Esposito was cast as a legal eagle in theDavid E. Kelley television dramaGirls Club. Although the series only lasted one season, and did not garner generally positive reviews, it represented a personal turning point for Esposito, who relayed toThe Washington Post: "I started to play bosses. And I realized, 'Oh, okay, this is an opportunity.' It was really a great opening for me to show who I really was. And it's kept going like that."[3]
In 2005, Esposito played an unsympathetic detective named Esposito in the filmHate Crime, which centers uponhomophobia as a theme.
In 2006, Esposito starred inLast Holiday as Senator Dillings, alongsideQueen Latifah andTimothy Hutton. Esposito played Robert Fuentes, aMiami businessman with shady connections, on theUPN television seriesSouth Beach. He appeared inNew Amsterdam andCSI: Miami. InFeel the Noise (2007), he played ex-musician Roberto, the Puerto Rican father ofOmarion Grandberry's character, aspiring rap star "Rob". In 2008, he made his directorial debut withGospel Hill, serving also as producer and star of the film.
New York theater credits for Esposito includeThe Me Nobody Knows,Lost in the Stars,Seesaw, andMerrily We Roll Along. In 2008, he appeared onBroadway as Gooper in an African American production ofTennessee Williams'Pulitzer Prize-winning dramaCat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed byDebbie Allen and starringJames Earl Jones,Phylicia Rashad,Anika Noni Rose, andTerrence Howard.[12]
From 2009 to 2011, Esposito appeared in seasons 2 through 4 of theAMC dramaBreaking Bad, asGus Fring, the head of aNew Mexico-basedmethamphetamine drug ring. In the fourth season, he was the show's primary antagonist, and won critical acclaim for this role. He won theBest Supporting Actor in a Drama award at the2012 Critics' Choice Television Awards and was nominated for anOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series award at the2012 Primetime Emmy Awards, but lost to co-starAaron Paul.
Esposito appeared in the filmRabbit Hole (2010). He also appeared in the first season of theABC programOnce Upon a Time, which debuted in October 2011. He portrayed the split role of Sidney Glass, a reporter forThe Daily Mirror in the town of Storybrooke, Maine, who is really a genie trapped in the Magic Mirror, possessed by The Evil Queen in a parallel fairy tale world. Esposito would periodically reprise the role in later seasons as a guest star.[13] Esposito appeared inRevolution as Major Tom Neville, a central character who kills Ben Matheson in the pilot. He escorts a captured Danny to the capital Philadelphia of the Monroe Republic.[14]
Esposito also appeared inCommunity as a guest star for the episode titled "Digital Estate Planning". He performed again in the fourth season, in the episode titled "Paranormal Parentage".[15] Esposito has additionally appeared in a video of the action role-playing sci-fi first-person shooter gameDestiny. Esposito voices antagonist Faraday in the Netflix anime seriesCyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022). Esposito also voicesAntón Castillo, the main antagonist of the video gameFar Cry 6, who was modeled after Esposito's appearance. He was also included in the videogamePayday 2, as the supporting character, then antagonist "The Dentist".
He has joined theDC Universe Animated Original Movies series. He playedRa's al Ghul inSon of Batman andEric Needham / Black Spider inBatman: Assault on Arkham. He also had a recurring role in the first season ofThe Get Down onNetflix. In 2017, Esposito reprised his role asGus Fring in theBreaking Bad prequel series,Better Call Saul. In 2019, he appeared in thefirst-season finale ofThe Boys asStan Edgar, and reprised the role in thesecond andthird season.[16]
In 2016, Esposito voicedAkela in the filmThe Jungle Book, which was directed byJon Favreau.[17] Esposito and Favreau would work together once again in theDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian in which Esposito appears in a starring role, while Favreau acts as an executive producer for the series and as its writer.[18] He plays the role of New York congressmanAdam Clayton Powell Jr. in the 2019 Epix seriesGodfather of Harlem.
In July 2020, Esposito began teasing his role in "a huge video game".[19] His role was later revealed as the main antagonist ofUbisoft'sFar Cry 6, in which he would portray and voice Antón Castillo, the dictatorial ruler of the fictional Caribbean island country of Yara.[20]
In 2022, Esposito played Taxi Driver inEuphoria, a film installation byJulian Rosefeldt.[21]
In 2024, he launched his first graphic novel,The Venetian.[22]
In December 2024, Esposito was announced as a cast member in independent dramaOut Come the Wolves, based on theRancid 1995album of the same name.[23]
In February 2025, Esposito appeared asSeth Voelker/Sidewinder of theSerpent Society in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) filmCaptain America: Brave New World.[24] Esposito was added to the film'sreshoots.[25]
Esposito was married to Joy McManigal.[26] They have four daughters. They later divorced.[27] After his divorce, Esposito had to file forbankruptcy, and he consideredsuicide by arranging his own murder to provide insurance money for his children before being cast inBreaking Bad.[28][29][30] He was raisedCatholic and considered becoming a priest.[31]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | The Gentleman Bandit | Jamie | Television film | [32][33] |
| 1982 | Another World | Willie Armstrong | Episode: "Episode #1.4498" | |
| 1982–1983 | Guiding Light | Clay Tynan | Regular cast | |
| 1982–1984 | Sesame Street | Mickey | 7 episodes | |
| 1984–1985 | Miami Vice | Luther / Ricky / Adonis Jackson | 3 episodes | [32] |
| 1985 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Kyle | Episode: "The Exchange Student" | |
| Finnegan Begin Again | Intruder | Television film | [32][33] | |
| 1985–1986 | American Playhouse | Elisha / Simon Fernandes | 2 episodes | |
| 1986 | Rockabye | Marcus | Television film | [32][33] |
| The Equalizer | Jumpin' Jack | Episode: "The Line" | ||
| 1987 | Spenser: For Hire | Ramos | Episode: "On the Night He Was Betrayed" | [32] |
| Leg Work | Tyson | Episode: "Blind Trust" | ||
| 1990 | Lifestories | Julio | Episode: "Jerry Forchette" | |
| 1993 | Relentless: Mind of a Killer | Arthur Sistrunk | Television film | [32][33] |
| The American Experience | Dr. Kenneth Clark | Episode: "Simple Justice" | [32] | |
| 1993–1994 | Bakersfield P.D. | Detective Paul Gigante | 17 episodes | |
| 1995 | New York Undercover | Adolfo Guzman | 3 episodes | |
| Fallen Angels | Paris Minton | Episode: "Fearless" | ||
| 1996 | Chicago Hope | Cherchez LaFemme | Episode: "Right to Life" | [32] |
| Swift Justice | Andrew Coffin | 3 episodes | ||
| Living Single | Jackson Turner | Episode: "Kiss of the Spider Man" | [32] | |
| The Tomorrow Man | Jonathan Driscoll | Television film | ||
| 1996–1998 | NYPD Blue | Ferdinand Hollie / Jamaal | 2 episodes | |
| 1996–1999 | Nash Bridges | Arnold / Gordon Keller / Whip Tyrell | 2 episodes | |
| 1996–2005 | Law & Order | Mr. Baylor / Rodney Fallon | 4 episodes | [32] |
| 1997 | Five Desperate Hours | Joseph Grange | Television film | [32][33] |
| 1998 | The Hunger | Vampire | Episode: "Fly-By-Night" | [32] |
| Creature | Lieutenant Thomas Peniston / Werewolf | Miniseries | [32][33] | |
| Naked City: Justice with a Bullet | Chaz Villanueva | Television film | ||
| Thirst | Dr. Lawrence Carver | Television film | ||
| 1998–1999 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Federal AgentMike Giardello | 22 episodes | [32] |
| 2000 | Homicide: The Movie | Officer Mike Giardello | Television film | [32][33] |
| Touched by an Angel | Antonio | Episode: "Here I Am" | [32] | |
| 2000–2001 | The $treet | Tom Divack | 12 episodes | |
| 2001 | Strong Medicine | James 'Junior' Bell | Episode: "Mortality" | [32] |
| 100 Centre Street | Jacob Lenz | Episode: "Andromeda and the Monster" | ||
| 2002 | The Practice | Ray McMurphy | Episode: "Pro Se" | [32] |
| Third Watch | Father Romero | Episode: "The Unforgiven" | ||
| A Nero Wolfe Mystery | Ambassador Theodore Kelefy | Episode: "Immune to Murder" | ||
| Girls Club | Nicholas Hahn | 9 episodes | ||
| 2003 | The Division | Dr. Pembroke | Episode: "Wish You Were Here" | |
| Lucky | Lord Marion | Episode: "The Method" | [32] | |
| Street Time | Jesse Haslim | Episode: "Brothers" | ||
| 2004 | Half & Half | Darrell Washington | Episode: "The Big Employee Benefits Episode" | [32] |
| Soul Food | Jules | 2 episodes | ||
| 5ive Days to Midnight | Tim Sanders | 5 episodes | [32][33] | |
| NYPD 2069 | Lieutenant Garner | Pilot | ||
| 2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Orlando Ramirez | Episode: "Boys Will Be Boys" | [32] |
| 2006 | South Beach | Robert Fuentes | 8 episodes | |
| Ghost Whisperer | Ely Fisher | Episode: "Fury" | ||
| Bones | Richard Benoit | Episode: "The Man in the Morgue" | ||
| Dr. Vegas | Episode: "For Love or Money" | |||
| Las Vegas | Reggie Archibald | Episode: "White Christmas" | ||
| 2006–2008 | CSI: Miami | Chief Braga | 2 episodes | [32] |
| 2007 | Kidnapped | Vance | ||
| 2008 | New Amsterdam | Special Agent Derek Lawson | Episode: "Legacy" | |
| Xenophobia | Young | Television film | ||
| 2009–2011 | Breaking Bad | Gus Fring | 26 episodes | [32] |
| 2010 | Leverage | Alexander Moto | Episode: "The Scheherazade Job" | |
| Lie to Me | Beau Hackman | Episode: "Black and White" | ||
| Detroit 1-8-7 | Eddie Henderson | Episode: "Shelter" | ||
| 2011 | Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior | Gordon Ramirez | Episode: "The Time is Now" | |
| 2011–2017 | Once Upon a Time | Sidney Glass /Magic Mirror | 14 episodes | |
| 2012 | NYC 22 | Harvey Williams | 2 episodes | |
| 2012–2013 | Community | Gilbert Lawson | [32][35] | |
| 2012–2014 | Revolution | Lieutenant Tom Neville | 42 episodes | [32] |
| 2013 | Over / Under | Oliver Ohrt | Television film | [32][33] |
| Revolution: Enemies of the State | Lieutenant Tom Neville | Television shorts | ||
| Axe Cop | Army Chihuahua | Voice; episode: "Night Mission: Stealing Friends Back" | [32][35] | |
| Timms Valley | Pruit Normings | Voice; episode: "Pilot" | ||
| 2014 | 30 for 30 | Narrator | Voice; episode: "Requiem for the Big East" | [32] |
| 2015 | Allegiance | Oscar Christoph | 7 episodes | |
| Drunk History | Andrés Pico | Episode: "Los Angeles" | ||
| 2016–2017 | The Get Down | Pastor Ramon Cruz | 10 episodes | |
| 2017 | Rebel | Charles Gold | 4 episodes | |
| 2017–2019 | Dear White People | Dr. Edward Ruskins / The Narrator | 23 episodes | |
| 2017–2022 | Better Call Saul | Gus Fring | 34 episodes; also director for episode: "Axe and Grind" | |
| 2018 | Westworld | El Lazo | Episode: "Reunion" | |
| Dallas & Robo | Victor Goldsmith | Voice; 5 episodes | ||
| 2019 | Jett | Charlie Baudelaire | 9 episodes | |
| Creepshow | Doc | Episode: "Gray Matter" | ||
| 2019–2023 | Harley Quinn | Lex Luthor | Voice; 11 episodes | [32][35] |
| Godfather of Harlem | Adam Clayton Powell Jr. | 21 episodes | [32] | |
| The Mandalorian | Moff Gideon /Gideon's Force clones | 9 episodes | ||
| 2019–present | The Boys | Stan Edgar / The Guy From Vought | 10 episodes | [32][35] |
| 2020 | Home Movie: The Princess Bride | The Grandfather | Episode: "Chapter Five: Life Is Pain" | |
| 2020–2021 | DuckTales | Phantom Blot | Voice; 3 episodes | [35] |
| 2022 | The Boys Presents: Diabolical | Stan Edgar / The Guy From Vought | Voice; episode: "One Plus One Equals Two" | [32][35] |
| Cyberpunk: Edgerunners | Faraday | English dub; 6 episodes | [32][35][40] | |
| 2023 | Kaleidoscope | Leo Pap / Ray Vernon | Miniseries; 8 episodes | [32] |
| 2024 | Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur | Granite | Voice; episode: "The Devil You Know" | [35] |
| The Gentlemen | Stanley Johnston | 4 episodes | ||
| Parish | Gracián "Gray" Parish | 6 episodes; also executive producer | [32][41][42] | |
| 2025 | The Residence | A. B. Wynter | 8 episodes | [43] |
| Poker Face | Fred Finch | Episode: "Last Looks" | [44] | |
| Gen V | Stan Edgar | Episode: "Cooking Lessons" | [45] |
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968–1969 | Maggie Flynn | Andrew | ANTA Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1970–1971 | The Me Nobody Knows | Understudy | Helen Hayes Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1972 | Lost in the Stars | Alex | Imperial Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1973 | Seesaw | Julio Gonzalez | Uris Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1980–1981 | Zooman and the Sign | Zooman | Theater Four, Off-Broadway | |
| 1981 | Merrily We Roll Along | Valedictorian | Alvin Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1984 | Do Lord Remember Me | American Palace Theatre, Off-Broadway | ||
| 1984–1985 | Balm in Gilead | Ernesto | Circle Repertory Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
| 1987–1988 | Don't Get God Started | Jack / Silk | Longacre Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1991 | Distant Fires | Foos | Linda Gross Theater, Off-Broadway | |
| 1992 | Circle in the Square Downtown, Off-Broadway | |||
| 1993 | The Root | Willie | Linda Gross Theater, Off-Broadway | |
| 1994 | Trafficking in Broken Hearts | Papo | Linda Gross Theater, Off-Broadway | |
| 1995 | Sacrilege | Ramon | Belasco Theatre, Broadway | |
| 2003 | The 24 Hour Plays | Earl | American Airlines Theatre, Broadway | |
| 2008 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Gooper | Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway | |
| 2012 | Storefront Church | Donald Calderon | Linda Gross Theater, Off-Broadway |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Law of the Jungle | Father | Destiny video gametrailer | |
| 2014 | Payday 2 | "The Dentist" / Dr. Helmann | Likeness and vocal performance | |
| 2021 | Far Cry 6 | "El Presidente" Antón Castillo | Likeness and vocal performance portrayed character in promotional marketing | [35][46] |
| Year | Title | Role | Project | Notes | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Growing Up" | Himself | Music video | Whodini song | |
| 1996 | "California" | Rich man | Mylène Farmer song | ||
| 2017 | Better Call Saul: Los Pollos Hermanos Employee Training | Gus Fring | Web series | Voice; 10 episodes | |
| 2020 | Game Changer | Himself | Game show | Episode: "Ham It Up" | |
| 2021 | Vought News Network: Seven on 7 with Cameron Coleman | Stan Edgar | Web series | Voice; episodeAug 2021 | |
| 2022 | The Big Lie | Dr. Greco | Podcast series | ||
| 2025 | "Cabin Talk" | Himself | Feature | De La Soul song |
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Male | Fresh | Nominated | |
| National Board of Review | Best Cast | The Usual Suspects | Won | ||
| 1999 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Breaking Bad | Nominated | |||
| Saturn Awards | Best Guest Starring Role on Television | Nominated | |||
| 2012 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Won | ||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |||
| Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated | |||
| Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor on Television | Nominated | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated | |||
| 2013 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor on Television | Revolution | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Better Call Saul | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | The Mandalorian | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Better Call Saul | Nominated | |
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Villain | The Mandalorian | Nominated | ||
| Saturn Awards | Best Guest Starring Role on Television | Nominated | |||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |||
| The Game Awards | Best Performance | Far Cry 6 | Nominated | ||
| 2022 | New York Game Awards 2022 | Great White Way Award for Best Overall Acting in a Game | Nominated | ||
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama | Better Call Saul | Won | ||
| 2023 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Won | ||
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series | Better Call Saul(for "Axe and Grind") | Won | [47] | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Better Call Saul | Nominated | ||
| 2024 | Saturn Awards | Best Guest Star in a Television Series | The Mandalorian | Nominated | [48] |
| Prize for American-Italian Relations (PAIR) | Arts & Culture | Won | [49] | ||
| 2025 | Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Screen Combo[a] | Megalopolis | Nominated | [50] |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | The Boys | Nominated | [51] |
Giancarlo Giuseppi Alessandro Esposito; born April 26, 1958, in Copenhagen, Denmark; raised in New York City, father, a stagehand and carpenter; mother, an opera and nightclub singer; married Joy McManigal (a producer), June 1995; children: Shayne Lyra, Kale Lyn
Esposito will have a larger role to play in season 2. "Sure enough, in season 2, that becomes a really important character," Kripke confirms. "So I had to call him and go, 'Hey, remember that cameo you did for me as a favor in season 1?... Now I need you for four to five more episodes.' To his credit, thank God, he's available and enthusiastic."
Well, I'm divorced from my wife, although we are very dear friends.
I was a man up against the wall 10, 15 years ago — completely. Went bankrupt. Lost my house. Divorced, you know, wound up living in a goat barn for a while... Didn't know if I'd ever get my career back on track.
I was thinking about suicide because I was well insured. But I would have had to have somebody kill me in order to be able to have my family get the insurance money.
My way out in my brain was: 'Hey, do you get life insurance if someone commits suicide? Do they get the bread?' My wife had no idea why I was asking this stuff. I started scheming. If I got somebody to knock me off, death by misadventure, [my kids] would get the insurance. I had four kids. I wanted them to have a life. It was a hard moment in time. I literally thought of self-annihilation so they could survive. That's how low I was.
