Emmys 2012: 'Breaking Bad's' Giancarlo Esposito is 'over the moon'

Emmys 2012: ‘Breaking Bad’s’ Giancarlo Esposito is ‘over the moon’

By Patrick Kevin Day and Greg Braxton

July 19, 2012 12 AM PT

Giancarlo Esposito sounded much more upbeat then his”Breaking Bad” character, Gustavo “Gus” Fring, discussing his Emmy nomination on Thursday morning.

“I’m over the moon and definitely honored,” Esposito said from Wilmington, N.C., where he’s filming “Revolution,” a new NBC drama that will air this fall. “I screamed, I cried. This is the culmination of a long career in television and film, and I’m so glad to be in this incredible group of actors.”

“Breaking Bad” earned 13 nominations, including nods for stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, as well as a directing nod for show creator Vince Gilligan. Esposito earned a nomination for supporting actor in a drama series.

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He said playing Fring with a subtle menace was the key to getting in touch with the character: “To play him in such a reserved fashion taught me a lesson in learning to trust myself. When you sit back and just live the character, the character takes over. And Gus definitely took over.”

Espositio is especially proud of the character’s many layers, which he worked hard to showcase. “He could outwardly be kind. Sometimes as actors we go for the one-note thing because things move so fast in TV. But I really stuck to my guns here, to show the light and dark side.”

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