Veteran actor Mark Margolis died on August 3, 2023. He was 83 years of age. According to a statement released by his son, Margolis died in a New York City hospital following a short illness.
To many, Margolis was most renowned for his role as Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. However, his career extended much further than this iconic role. So, let’s explore the life and career of this legendary actor.
The Early Days of Mark Margolis
Mark Margolis was born in 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and began his pursuit of a career in the arts by attending Temple University briefly before moving to New York City to study drama at the prestigious Actors Studio alongside Stella Adler. Margolis remained a member of the Actors Studio throughout his later years, a testament to his dedication to his craft. His early career consisted of small roles in television shows such as Kojak and his first on-screen appearance came in the 1977 TV movie The Other Side of Victory. However, it was his iconic role as Shadow in Brian De Palma‘s 1983 crime classic Scarface that brought him widespread recognition, sharing the screen with none other than Al Pacino.
After the success of Scarface, Margolis quickly became a go to character actor for grumpy old men, something that came easy as he always looked somewhat wisdomous for his age, sporting grey hair as early as his 30s. In 1994, he starred opposite Jim Carrey in the wacky yet iconic movie, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Although his role was rather small, the movie was a huge success and propelled the cast to huge fame, Margolis included.
Breaking Down His Performance as Hector Salamanca
Mark Margolis’ role as Hector Salamanca gave him ample room to deeply explore the character at different points of his life. He first appeared as the crime boss in Breaking Bad. Then, he got the chance to chart the character’s backstory in Better Call Saul – Breaking Bad‘s prequel series. Hector Salamanca is a character that embodies both the most evil and captivating qualities in the Breaking Bad universe. As the original Don of the Salamanca family’s drug organization, Hector’s ruthless demeanor and complete lack of moral compass make him a formidable and terrifying figure. He trains his nephews to be ruthless killing machines, devoid of empathy or compassion, and his actions are often driven by a sense of entitlement and a desire for power. Yet, despite his heinous nature, Hector’s unwavering loyalty to his family and his stedfast dedication to his own code of honour make him an intriguing and complex character. This duality makes him a villain that audiences love to hate, with a magnetic presence that is both captivating and unsettling.
Hector is introduced in Breaking Bad as an elderly man in a wheelchair, who orchestrates carnage through the use of a bell on his wheelchair, signalling his nephews to take action with a mysterious code system. The audience then get to learn of his backstory and his feud with the equally menacing Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). By coming back to his character in Better Call Saul, we then learn just how he got his comeuppance and landed himself in the wheelchair. Playing the character over such a long period of time truly showcased his talent as an actor, managing to captivate audiences with no words at all and then the sharp tongue he possessed before his downfall. To many, Margolis’ role as Hector Salamanca will forever be his most iconic, with his Primetime Emmy nomination being a testament to his timeless rendition.
The Other Roles You May Know Mark Margolis From
Before the success of Breaking Bad, Mark Margolis was most renowned for his frequent collaborations with visionary filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, appearing in his first six films beginning with Pi in 1998. Out of these roles, his part in Requiem for a Dream stands out as his most nuanced, portraying Mr Rabinowitz, a lonely man who tries to help a young woman from her spiralling addiction. At the time of the movie’s release, many were speculating that Margolis was land himself an Oscar-nomination for his role, however, he was overlooked come awards season while his co-star Ellen Burstyn bagged herself a Best Actress nomination. Despite this, his role has still remained iconic as the movie has continued to grow in cult status.
Margolis was also known for his roles in hit TV shows like The Equalizer, and American Horror Story, as well as movies like The Wrestler, and Ben Affleck‘s Gone Baby Gone, in which he took an extremely sinister turn. Across his storied career, Margolis worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. After his passing, many of his co-stars released heartfelt statements.
Tributes Flooded in After Mark Margolis Passed Away
Days after his death, Bryan Cranston took to his Instagram page to honour Margolis, writing: “I am very saddened today to learn of a friend’s passing. Mark Margolis was a really good actor and a lovely human being. Fun and engaging off the set, and (in the case of Breaking Bad and Your Honor) intimidating and frightening on set.” Better Call Saul showrunner Peter Gould also took to his Twitter page (now X), where he called Margolis “brilliant”, “funny”, and “a raconteur with a million stories,”.
Margolis’ final role came in 2023, taking on a villainous character in 5 episodes of Your Honor, where he shared the screen once again with Cranston. He is survived by his son, his wife of 61 years, Jacqueline Margolis, his brother, Jerome; and three grandchildren. Want to read more about the cast of Breaking Bad? Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Aaron Paul.
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