Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul Actor, Dead at 83

Actor Mark Margolis, most known for his intimidating presence as Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died at the age of 83. Margolis’ family announced the news and asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. While his role as Salamanca in the AMC series might be what fans have most recognized him from, he had a long and impressive career in movies and TV, starring in projects such as Scarface, HBO’s Oz, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and a number of collaborations with director Darren Aronofsky, including Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, and The Fountain.

Margolis manager Robert Kolker said in a statement, per Variety, “He was one of a kind. We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him.”

Margolis was born in Philadelphia and first pursued his passion for acting in theatrical productions, starring in more than 50 Off-Broadway plays, including Uncle Sam and The Golem, while also starring in Boradway’s Infidel Caesar. The actor’s breakout big-screen role came in Brian De Palma’s Scarface, while also having a recurring role in the TV series The Equalizer. Other TV roles throughout his career include Law & Order, Californication, Person of Interest, American Horror Story, and The Affair.

In the world of feature films, Margolis starred in projects like I Shot Andy Warhol, Absolute Power, The Thomas Crown Affair, End of Days, The Tailor of Panama, Hardball, and Gone Baby Gone. Margolis collaborated with Aronofsky on six of the filmmaker’s movies, which he joked was due to the director dodging payment.

When asked by The Hollywood Reporter in 2012 about the frequency of collaborations, Margolis teased, “He thinks he has an obligation! I started with him on his first movie, the $60,000 Pi, when he was unknown. I chased him for three months because he kept lying to me about when I’d get my money. I finally threatened to call his mother, who was craft services on the film. Then he finally paid me.”

In Season 2 of Breaking Bad, Margolis debuted as Hector Salamanca, a character who could only communicate through a bell attached to his wheelchair. Despite never getting to speak in that series, he made a major impact on viewers, especially given that it was Salamanca who was ultimately responsible for killing the nefarious Gus Fring in Season 4. In the prequel series Better Call Saul, audiences got to see Margolis explore the character before his paralyzing incident, earning the actor even more acclaim.

Our thoughts go out to Margolis’ family and friends in this difficult time.