Fans of Gus Fring need only watch a couple clips of Edward James Olmos in Miami Vice before they see exactly what Giancarlo Esposito is talking about.
Miami Vice’s Lieutenant Martin Castillo has that same air of mystery and calmness that makes Gus Fring so creepy, although it’s only creepy in the regard that the audience knows Fring is a bad guy.
Much like how Olmos broke the stereotype for a police captain with his portrayal of Castillo, Esposito channeled that calmness and unreadable nature and created an iconic villain certainly different from the average drug kingpin character.