Posted on 08/04/2023 12:15:31 PM PDT by Red Badger
Mark Margolis, known for his unique acting roles in “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” passed away this week. He was 83 years old.
Margolis died in New York City at Mount Sinai Hospital on Thursday after a battle with a brief illness, according to his son, Morgan Margolis, CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment.
Margolis is best known for his role as Hector Salamanca — nicknamed “Tio” — in “Breaking Bad” and the show’s prequel, “Better Call Saul.”
In the shows, Salamanca is the uncle of three notable characters, Marco, Leonel, and Tuco — all of whom are involved in drug trafficking. Salamanca was handicapped in “Breaking Bad” and communicated by ringing a bell on his wheelchair.
In “Better Call Saul,” Margolis had the opportunity to play a younger version of Salamanca before he became handicapped and unable to speak.
“I was only coming onto ‘Breaking Bad’ as far as I knew for that one episode, but there’s no accounting for taste, and the fans took a fancy to me,” he said. “Somebody asked me recently, ‘How did you manage to play such a horrible guy?’ and I said, ‘Have you talked to my friends?’ They’ll tell you I’m pretty miserable to begin with.”
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Margolis also played roles in “Scarface” (1983), “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994), “Pi” (1998), “Requiem for a Dream” (2000), “The Fountain” (2006), “The Wrestler” (2008), “Black Swan” (2010), and “Noah” (2014).
“Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” both released identical statements after Margolis’ passing.
“We join millions of fans in mourning the passing of the immensely talented Mark Margolis, who – with his eyes, a bell, and very few words – turned Hector Salamanca into one of the most unforgettable characters in the history of television,” the statement said. “He will be missed.”
He was really good in Breaking Bad.
Awwww, man! RIP! He was excellent in Breaking Bad.
It seems like the older an actor is the better they are at acting.
Young actors never get this good.....................
Hec-TOR!
He made it almost a year exactly after the BCS finale.
Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.
RIP
...also played Justice League villain Felix Faust in the short-lived ‘Constantine’ television series...
RIP
Did he take anyone with him?
Oh, ni. Not Hector. He did a great job with that role.
I think the first time I saw him was in a supporting role in the Equalizer staring Edward Woodward who was also a fine actor.
He was also Sol Robeson, Max’s mathematician friend and mentor in the film Pi.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.