This Breaking Bad Actor Nearly Planned His Own Murder — Then Came The Role That Changed Everything

At his lowest point, he considered a desperate plan to support his family, until a game-changing role in Breaking Bad turned his life around.

- July 14, 2025 | 4:25 PM IST

Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito Nearly Planned His Own Murder Before The Show Saved Him ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad, starring Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in the lead roles, is often hailed as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. The iconic crime drama has won sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, among numerous other accolades. But behind the scenes lies a story that’s just as dramatic and shocking. One of the show’s key actors was in such a severe financial crisis that he once reportedly considered arranging his own murder. And no, we are not talking about Bryan Cranston or Aaron Paul. Read on to find out which actor it was and what role he played in Breaking Bad.

The Breaking Bad Actor Who Considered Arranging His Own Murder

That actor was Giancarlo Esposito. According to a report by Variety, the Emmy-nominated star revealed on an earlier episode of SiriusXM’s Jim & Sam show that he was so broke before landing his role in Breaking Bad that he once considered arranging his own death. The idea came from the hope that his children could claim the life insurance money and live a financially secure life. Eventually, he decided against it when he thought of the lifelong trauma his death would cause his family. You can watch the interview here.

This happened in 2008, a year before the premiere of Breaking Bad Season 2, which introduced the character of Gus Fring. Giancarlo Esposito’s brilliant portrayal of the calm and calculating Gus Fring made the character one of the most iconic villains in the history of television. Later, he reprised his role in the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, and eventually starred in other popular shows like The Mandalorian, The Boys, and Poker Face, among others.

Dinner for two in honor of #BryanCranston’s Birthday today! 😉🔪🧄

What season of #BreakingBad is this from? ☠️#GusFring #WalterWhite pic.twitter.com/9Af3UrlMDz

— Giancarlo Esposito (@quiethandfilms) March 7, 2024

Breaking Bad – Plot & Cast

The crime drama follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an underachieving high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. To secure his family’s financial future, he teams up with a former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), to manufacture and sell crystal m*th. Eventually, he transforms into a ruthless criminal, leading to devastating consequences.

Breaking Bad – Critical Response & Where to Watch

The series holds a stellar Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 96% and an audience score of 97%. Moreover, it has a user rating of 9.5/10 on IMDb. Currently, it’s listed as the top-ranked show on the IMDb Top 250 TV Shows list.

All five seasons of Breaking Bad, spanning 62 episodes, are currently available to stream in India and the US on Netflix.