Known for his villainous performances in some juggernaut TV shows, American performer Giancarlo Esposito first made a name for himself in Hollywood by virtue of motion pictures. He’s mostly remembered in that regard for his work with Spike Lee, but for what it’s worth, other masterful flicks like The Usual Suspects (1995) also have Giancarlo among their star-studded casts.
Throughout the twenty-first century, Esposito has outshone his cinematic output with his appearances on television, providing viewers around the world with commanding performances that have officially defined his career.
We ranked Esposito's 10 best TV performances.
10. Dear White People
Providing his dulcet vocals as the narrator, Giancarlo Esposito sets the stage for twenty-three episodes of Dear White People (2017–2019), a comedy about Black Ivy League students who traverse a campus that’s rife with racial tensions, the series kicking off when a student magazine group hosts the eponymous party.
Based on a 2014 film of the same name, Dear White People is a hilarious piece of satire that was created by Justin Simien, the same filmmaker who wrote and directed the source material. He works with some all-star talent in the TV adaptation, and that of course includes Esposito with his crisp and resonant narration.
9. Once Upon a Time
With a memorable supporting effort from the actor of the hour, Once Upon a Time aired its inaugural season in 2011, while the seventh and final series of episodes came out in 2018. Appearing in fourteen total episodes throughout those seven seasons was Giancarlo Esposito as reporter Sidney Glass.
Revolving around fairy tale characters as they traverse a modern-day setting, Once Upon a Time is among the more fan-favorite shows in which Giancarlo’s ever appeared. His dramatis personae, Sidney Glass, is actually the Magic Mirror, while other fairy tale characters include Snow White, Prince Charming, Pinocchio, and more. Great plot, and one in which Giancarlo absolutely shines.
8. The Gentlemen
Based off the 2019 film of the same name that was written and directed by Guy Ritchie, a series known as The Gentlemen tells the tale of Eddie Horniman as he inherits his father’s estate and makes a shocking discovery therein.
Home to a sprawling marijuana farm, Eddie’s new abode is home to some unforgettably hilarious sequences throughout the first eight episodes, half of which feature Giancarlo Esposito as a character known as Stanley, a billionaire who’s interested in buying the estate. Great performance inside a top-notch show that’s been renewed for season two.
7. Parish
Playing the protagonist, Parish (2024) also features Giancarlo Esposito as executive producer, being created by Danny Brockhurst. That showrunner based Parish on his BBC One show The Driver, the one with Giancarlo revolving around a former crook who’s drawn out of his home life to take part in one more job.
Playing his wife is Paula Malcolmson, an Irish actress with whom Esposito shares a wonderful rapport. This may be the most underrated series among both of their filmographies, with Parish deserving far more love from a perspective of household name value.
6. Kaleidoscope
All eight episodes of a series known as Kaleidoscope (2023) feature the talent of Giancarlo Esposito, whose performance was generally acclaimed by fans and critics alike. He plays the lead character, a career criminal named Leo who executes a heist on a security company. Great performance from the man of the hour, but what makes Kaleidoscope such a compelling watch is the novelty of its structure.
Among the more unique shows to be released throughout the past few years, Kaleidoscope is a top-notch anthology show that consists of eight total episodes, each of which play in different orders for a given Netflix user. The ending episode is always the same, but their journeys are unique. Great premise, and again: It features a wonderful leading performance from Giancarlo Esposito.
5. Revolution
Set in the aftermath of a global blackout, Revolution (2012–2014) stars performers Billy Burke and Tracy Spiradakos as the uncle-niece duo of Miles and Charlie Matheson, a pair of revolutionaries who combat the Monroe Militia.
The captain of the militia is Esposito’s menacing yet charming figure, Major Tom Neville, who’s rendered one of the most endearing figures that Revolution has to offer largely by virtue of the actor’s virtuosity. He even led a series of spinoff TV shorts collectively called Revolution: Enemies of the State, each of which came out in 2013.
While not the most revered show of Esposito’s career, Revolution ran for three high-budget seasons, and it marked yet another project in which he appeared as a villain.
4. Godfather of Harlem
Among the more recurring roles on television for Giancarlo Esposito can be found in Godfather of Harlem (2019–present), a critically acclaimed crime drama that features Forest Whitaker as the dynamic, titular character.
He appears as the character Adam Clayton Powell Jr., sharing a wonderful rapport with each of his famous co-stars inside a consistently thrilling plot. Though not the most famous role of Giancarlo Esposito's career, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. facilitated another top-notch effort from the master of modern television.
3. The Mandalorian
For nine total episodes, Giancarlo Esposito appears as Moff Gideon in a world-famous series that’s called The Mandalorian (2019–2025), the first of many live-action spinoff Star Wars shows that received acclaim from critics. The show revolves around Pedro Pascal's titular bounty hunter as he becomes a guardian to Grogu, a force-wielding child who's the same species as Yoda.
Opposing the protagonists is Giancarlo's character Moff Gideon as he wields the infamous Darksaber, a powerful weapon that can only be bestowed upon somebody if they beat its owner in combat. He ends up destroying the Darksaber in the season three finale, forever linking the weapon with the story of Moff Gideon.
2. The Boys
Adapted by the Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson comics, The Boys aired its inaugural season in 2019. It was in the eighth episode of season one that the show introduced Stan Edgar, otherwise known in the comics as simply The Man From Vought.
Becoming more of a recurring character in The Boys season two, Giancarlo even reprised the role in both spinoff shows, starting with Diabolical in 2022. He then played Stan in Gen V season two as it came out in 2025, and now he'll return for the final season of The Boys to send the character off.
Among the more unique supporting characters that the series has to offer, Stan Edgar is one of the few antagonists without any powers. This renders him more vulnerable than most of his Vought counterparts, and at the same time, Stan's lack of powers makes him all the more relatable.
1. Breaking Bad
The best performance of Giancarlo's career, in general, of course, goes to Gus Fring in the hit show Breaking Bad (2008-2013). Wins and nominations at the Emmys and other prominent associations should speak volumes to the prestige of this powerhouse performance.
He reprised the role in Better Call Saul (2015-2023), and actually played a more prominent part therein, garnering even more nominations with regard to the Emmys and such. And, it's easy to see why, as Gus Fring proved to be an everlasting character in a Better Call Saul landscape, just as he established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the original Breaking Bad.
Through all the TV shows and movies—in the latter regard, he's appeared in such masterworks as Do the Right Thing (1989) and The Usual Suspects (1995)—it will forever be Gus Fring for whom Giancarlo Esposito is most commonly remembered.