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Veteran actor Mark Margolis, who starred in Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, has passed away at the age of 83, his family has confirmed.
Hector Salamanca, a member of a drug gang who uses a wheelchair after having a stroke, was his most well-known character across both seasons. After a brief illness, he passed suddenly on Thursday in a hospital in New York City, according to a statement from his son.
Additionally, Margolis has played roles in movies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Scarface, and the HBO series Oz.
Margolis played Salamanca, a very violent mobster who can only communicate through facial expressions and a bell in the Emmy-nominated role.
“We join millions of fans in mourning the passing of the immensely talented Mark Margolis, who – with his eyes, a bell, and very few words – turned Hector Salamanca into one of the most unforgettable characters in the history of television,” read a tribute on the Breaking Bad Facebook page.
“He will be sorely missed.”
Mr. Margolis, who was born and raised in Philadelphia, has also appeared in the movies Arthur, Dressed to Kill, and Going in Style.
Additionally, he appeared in six films by Darren Aronofsky.
“I am just a journeyman actor,” he said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
He moved to New York at a young age and studied under famous acting coach Stella Adler.
Despite having over 70 film credits – spanning five decades – he said that there were times when he struggled as a performer in his earlier years.
“Truth to tell, six months after Scarface,” he once said, “I had to take a job with a real estate development friend for a few months just to get by.”
He said that the Salamanca character was in part inspired by his mother-in-law, who also was unable to speak after a stroke.
“We used to visit her, and she couldn’t speak. But she’d get excited when we came in the room, and the left side of her mouth would always do these contortions where the lips would push out, almost like she was chewing tobacco. So I kind of stole that from her.”
In a 2013 interview, he told Time magazine that he enjoyed the challenge of acting without speaking.
“It was a marvelous creature! The fact that he didn’t have any words was not an issue for me,” he said.
“I was delighted not to have to learn any lines. I mean, I had to know what was going on, and I had my cues, but the fact that I didn’t have to master lines was great. I got to fly out to New Mexico and not worry about memorizing anything.”
Colleagues of his also paid tribute online.
Working with Mark on both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, author Thomas Schnauz noted, “Mark made me laugh every time we were together on set.”
“My love to his family and many, many friends,” he continued.
Better Call Saul co-creator Peter Gould tweeted: “Absolutely devastated to hear that Mark Margolis has passed away. Mark was a raconteur with a million stories who was bright and amusing. Already, I miss him.”
Source- BBC News
