Bryan Cranston, Bob Odenkirk & Breaking Bad Writer Pay Tribute To Mark Margolis-TGN

Summary

• The Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul cast and crews are paying tribute to late actor Mark Margolis, known for his role as Hector Salamanca.

• Co-stars describe Margolis as a dear friend, a powerful screen presence, a brilliant raconteur, and a class act with no BS attitude.

• Margolis’ character Hector Salamanca became one of the most important characters in the Breaking Bad universe and Margolis’ performance helped make the shows successful.

The cast and crew of Breaking Bad and Better Caul Saul have paid tribute to the late Mark Margolis following his recent passing. A frequent collaborator of director Darren Aronofsky, Margolis is best known for his role as the elderly drug lord Hector Salamanca in the hit crime dramas Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Margolis passed away aged 83 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a brief illness.

Following the announcement of Margolis’ passing, several of the actor’s friends and co-stars from the Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul universes have taken to social media to share their reactions and pay tribute to his legacy. Check out their reactions below:

Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston reveals that he was saddened to learn the new of his passing, and that he “miss(es) him already”.

Giancarlo Esposito, who played his onscreen rival Gus Fring, described Margolis as a “dear friend and dynamic human” who made him laugh and think.

Saul Goodman’s Bob Odenkirk reposted the announcement from the official Breaking Bad Twitter account, describing him as a “powerful screen presence”.

Breaking Bad writer and Better Call Saul co-creator Peter Gould described him as a brilliant and funny “raconteur with a million stories”.

Better Call Saul actor Michael Mando, who starred as Hector’s close lieutenant Nacho, described working with Margolis as “one of the most enriching experiences of my career”.

Luis Moncada, who starred alongside his brother Daniel in both shows as the Salamanca cousins, described his friend as a “class act” with a “no BS attitude” who was very funny.

Dean Norris, who played DEA Agent Hank Schrader, continued to echo his co-star’s thoughts about Margolis’ humor and expressed his condolences to his family.

How Margolis’ Hector Became One Of Breaking Bad’s Most Important Characters

First introduced in Breaking Bad season 2, Margolis’ character Hector Salamanca was introduced as the wheelchair-bound uncle of the intimidating drug dealer Tuco (played by Raymond Cruz). Left mute and unable to walk due to a stroke, Margolis’ character was only able to communicate by means of a bell that was equipped to his wheelchair.

Despite Hector’s disabilities, the former drug lord would eventually go on to become one of the most important characters in the Breaking Bad universe. Not only was Hector revealed to be a senior figure in the Juárez Cartel, but he would also go on to become the rival of Esposito’s own criminal mastermind Gus Fring. Despite being possibly able to recover from his initial stroke, Gus would discontinue his therapy to trap him in his immobile state and set the stage for a revenge plot that would eventually kill off one of the show’s most important figures.

Related: How Nacho Put Hector Salamanca In A Wheelchair

An immensely talented actor, who was able to convey much with a withering glare and the ring of a bell, Margolis’ performance as Hector helped make Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul the success stories they became, with the actor himself even garnering an Emmy nomination for the former’s iconic episode “Face Off”, in which he would successfully sacrifice himself to kill Gus. His passing will not only be keenly felt by his friends and co-stars, but by many audience members who have benefited from his work.

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