The Mandalorian actor Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Moff Gideon in the show, revealed that his favorite co-star to work with is Gina Carano.
Esposito appeared at Fan Expo Denver 2021 over the weekend where he did about an hour long sit down Q&A session.
During that Q&A session a fan dressed as The Mandalorian asked, “In The Mandalorian who is your favorite co-worker to work with?”
Related: The Mandalorian Actress Emily Swallow Discusses Disney’s Firing Of Gina Carano
Esposito answered, “My goodness. Okay so you’re asking me for one. Yeah. I have to say and this may be… Well, okay, I’ll say it without hesitation. Gina Carano.”
He continued, “She went through a lot the last year and I’m not going to weigh in on any of that in particular other than any of her political beliefs or what she said whether I think it’s inappropriate or appropriate or not.”
Right, we as actors, yeah, we probably sometimes, I know for me, I should just shut my mouth, but sometimes I can’t and I’ve got to say what I believe because it has to go on record,” the Moff Gideon actor said.
“I loved working with her. She’s warm, and beautiful, and wonderful. And I don’t care what her politics are. I love the fact that she came to acting late and that she was so raw and original and beautiful. And I just think she’s a lovely person. So I shout her out and I say she’s one of my favorites,” he concluded.
Aside from Carano, Esposito also noted that another of his favorites was Lateef Crowder.
He explained, “Second favorite, Lateef Crowder, won the Emmy. He was in the suit when we did our whole big huge fight and I find physical disciplines are really important because they lead to intellectual disciplines. They lead to disciplines that I’ve been talking about a lot tonight, of holding yourself accountable. To do something for you.”
“Every single day for me before I go to any set, I try to sit and pray, meditate, try to do something physical. Try to make sure I’ve taken care of me before I go do my work, which is also taking care of me. I used to think it was doing my work for someone else because they were paying me, right? But I tell you it’s not about success. It’s about fulfilling your earthly obligation,” he stated.
He elaborated, “We’ve all been put here for a reason. And you don’t have to know what your reason is. You have to take the journey and the steps to find your reason. But when you find your reason, make sure you’re awake to see what it is. And once you see what that reason is, your life changes. And so for me I now don’t feel like I’m going to work for anybody else.
Esposito then went on to detail his experiences with auditions noting that once he attained a certain level in his acting career, he no longer wanted to do auditions, but both Breaking Bad and Far Cry wanted him to do auditions. While he once looked at auditions beneath him, his outlook has drastically changed.
He explained, “You know what I say at the end of the audition? ‘Because what am I doing that day anyway? Going to the gym? Getting buff up, right?’ What would I be doing? I say to them after reading a four-page scene I feel like I’m doing what I meant to do. I say thank you for allowing me to work today. To work on my craft, to further my craft. It’s about the experience because if you love it you’re gonna do it forever and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Earlier in the Q&A Esposito was also asked if there was another character he would have liked to act as in Star Wars.
He responded, “Look, when I was young, I know I’m not the right color, but I really loved Luke Skywalker, man. I’ve gotta say that’s part of the Hero’s Journey. He was young, and handsome, and didn’t know what to do. I’m serious. He was feeling it out, flying by the seat of his pants.
Esposito elaborated, “He had that saber. Did he really know how to use it? We watched him learn how to use it. That’s what I wanted to see and be. Have the experience. Part of our lives are about having the experience.”
“You don’t have to be perfect. Life is imperfect. We are imperfect. When are we going to learn as a culture and as a people that it is okay to be flawed. It really is beautiful,” he concluded.
What do you make of Esposito’s praise for Gina Carano? What do you make about how he views work? What about his love for Luke Skywalker, a hero that doesn’t look like him?