X-Men: Giancarlo Esposito Wants to Play Professor X Without a Wheelchair
The actor isn't entirely interested in the physical restrictions of a wheelchair for the role.
Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito has shared on multiple occasions that one of the superhero roles he would be most interested in playing is Professor X for a new X-Men, though he recently clarified that he wouldn't be excited by having to sit in a wheelchair all day while on set. Given that this characteristic is so heavily connected to the character, it would require some reimagining on the part of such an X-Men project, but with James McAvoy not being confined to a wheelchair in his incarnations of a younger Charles Xavier, it's definitely an avenue to possibly be explored with Marvel Studios.
"You know, I've given it a cursory glance in my brain, and immediately I go, 'Hmm, it'd be great to play Professor X in some other incarnation than just the wheelchair.' Right? Because the physical idea of being in a wheelchair every single day does not appeal to me," Esposito shared with the Fade to Black podcast. "I just don't feel that old and I don't like to sit that much. But certainly we could figure something out, maybe. Professor X wasn't always in the wheelchair, but that is part of his character development. So I think about it a little bit, but I don't give it all of my thought because it would have to come to me."
In addition to McAvoy showing off a younger version of Charles Xavier, recent comic book runs have explored the idea of Xavier's mind being inserted into a clone body, allowing him to walk again, though this is one of the more extreme examples of how Marvel has found new ways to interpret the character.
Back in 2023, Esposito shared more insight into what intrigued him so much about potentially taking on Professor X.
"I love what Marvel does. I love that the fans can see me in this universe and are proposing not only one character, possibly Magneto, possibly [DC's Dr.] Freeze. And the biggest ask is Charles Xavier," Esposito recalled on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. "But, look, I want to play a good guy. Charles is smart. He's good. But I feel as if there may be some mileage with me and Marvel. I know I love what they do. I know I love creativity. So who knows what could happen? Keep putting it out there."
Stay tuned for updates on Esposito's possible future with Marvel.
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