Mark Margolis, the acclaimed actor renowned for his Emmy-nominated portrayal of the malevolent drug kingpin Hector Salamanca in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, passed away at the age of 83.
On Thursday (August 3), Margolis breathed his last at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City after a brief period of ailment, as revealed by his son on Friday.
Margolis’s legacy also encompasses his role as the Bolivian enforcer Alberto the Shadow in Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1984).
The actor enjoyed a lasting collaboration with director Darren Aronofsky, who initially cast him as a mathematics instructor in his psychological thriller, Pi, in 1998.
Subsequently, Margolis was called upon for Aronofsky’s following five films: Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), The Wrestler (2008), Black Swan (2010), and Noah (2014).
Margolis shared in a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter the rationale behind Aronofsky’s continued selection: “He feels beholden! I started off with him in his debut film, the modest $60,000 Pi, when he was an unknown entity. I pursued him for three months because he kept misleading me about my payment. Ultimately, I threatened to contact his mother, who managed craft services on the film. That’s when he finally settled up.”
His inaugural appearance as Hector “Tio” Salamanca transpired in the second episode of the second season of Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad, making its debut in March 2009 on the AMC series.
Despite his character’s paralysis and inability to speak, Margolis left an indelible mark on the show. The episode “Hermanos” in the fourth season delved into his character’s backstory, revealing his culpability in the demise of Max Arciniega, Gus Fring’s (Giancarlo Esposito) partner.
Margolis remarked, “Initially, I thought I was only signed on for that one Breaking Bad episode, but tastes can’t be predicted, and fans took a liking to me. Someone asked me recently, ‘How did you manage to embody such a detestable character?’ and I replied, ‘Have you ever spoken to my friends?’ They’d vouch for my natural inclination towards misery.”
His performance on the show earned him an Emmy nomination in 2012 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
You may also like: Watch: Netflix viewers devastated as animated comedy axed after five seasons
