In the past decade, Giancarlo Esposito has been cast in several iconic villainy roles in film and television. The sexagenarian actor has had a successful career spanning over five decades. While he’s famous for villain roles, Esposito’s versatility has seen him play different characters across genres. Esposito’s breakthrough role was arguably as Gus Fring in AMC’s Breaking Bad and follow-up series.
Giancarlo Esposito solidified his position as a villain actor by portraying Sidney Glass/Magic Mirror in Once Upon a Time (2011–2017) and Tom Neville in the Revolution TV series (2012–2014). Audiences watched Esposito recently as he portrayed a secondary villain, Seth Voelker / Sidewinder, in the 2025 MCU film Captain America: Brave New World and Lambert in Abigail (2024). Here’s a look at Giancarlo Esposito’s other recent roles that have solidified him as film and television’s greatest villain.
Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian
The Jon Favreau-created space Western series The Mandalorian was a huge success, critically and commercially. As its first live-action series, The Mandalorian did justice to the Star Wars franchise. For audiences and critics alike, one notable standout character was its main antagonist, Moff Gideon. The character is a former Imperial officer who seeks to control the remnants of the Galactic Empire and capture Baby Yoda (Grogu) for his mysterious purposes.
Giancarlo Esposito portrayed Moff Gideon as a calm, calculating, and ruthless character with a strong presence in every scene. Esposito’s Moff Gideon’s motivations are shrouded in mystery, unlike those of many one-dimensional villains. One of the character’s iconic moments was when he revealed his Darksaber. Giancarlo Esposito’s impressive range and the complexity he brought to the character make Moff Gideon one of the most memorable villains in modern television.
Stan Edgar/The Man From Vought in The Boys
Giancarlo Esposito joined Amazon Prime Video’s satirical superhero drama series The Boys as Stan Edgar. His character is the calculating and powerful CEO of Vought International, the company responsible for creating and managing the superheroes known as “Supes.” As a master of manipulation, Esposito brings a sense of quiet but intense authority to Edgar. Esposito’s Stan Edgar is a more relatable villain as his motivations are rooted in a self-interested desire to maintain power. The character isn’t purely evil, as his actions are often driven by corporate greed, political machinations, and a belief in his own moral superiority.
Stanley Johnston in The Gentlemen
Between several other roles, Giancarlo Esposito returned with yet another memorable villain role in Netflix’s action comedy series The Gentlemen. Co-starring alongside Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, and Ray Winstone, Esposito played Stanley Johnston, a suave and calculating billionaire with a penchant for fine wine. Stanley is an aristocrat who seeks to purchase Halstead Manor from the Horniman family and becomes entangled in the complex web of British aristocracy and criminal enterprises. The character’s calm demeanor, strategic mind, and moral ambiguity added depth to the series. The Gentlemen‘s second season is one of the most anticipated seasons from 2024.
Frank Cicero in Megalopolis
Giancarlo Esposito joined the ensemble cast of Francis Ford Coppola’s 2024 epic sci-fi drama film Megalopolis. He played Mayor Franklyn Cicero, one of two of the film’s main villains. Esposito’s character is the arch-conservative Mayor of New Rome. Cicero stands in opposition to visionary architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), who aims to transform the city into a utopian society through his ambitious “Megalopolis” project. Giancarlo Esposito’s depiction of Mayor Cicero is a noted departure from his previous villainous roles. However, Megalopolis was a Box Office disappointment with below-average critical reviews. Nonetheless, Esposito played the villain with all tenacity, making his Mayor Cicero a standout character.
Colonel Marshall Bradbury in The Electric State
In his most recent villain role, Giancarlo Esposito played Colonel Marshall Bradbury in the Russo Brothers’ 2025 sci-fi action-adventure film The Electric State. His character is initially introduced as the movie’s villain but takes a step back as its secondary villain when the real villain’s motives are revealed. Although much of his performance is as a robot, Esposito still manages to exude the confidence and menace of a true villain. However, in the end, his character is faced with a moral dilemma and seemingly has a change of heart for the better. With several upcoming roles in film and television, Giancarlo Esposito continues to shine as one of cinema’s true villain actors.
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