KINGSTON, R.I. – Nov. 22, 2023 – The University of Rhode Island will welcome actor Giancarlo Esposito to its Kingston Campus Monday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. The event will take place in Edwards Hall, 64 Upper College Road.

Esposito is a noted actor, well known by television audiences for his iconic portrayal of Gustavo “Gus” Fring in AMC’s critically acclaimed, award-winning series Breaking Bad, for which he won a Critics Choice Award and earned an Emmy nomination. He reprised his role in AMC’s critically acclaimed prequel Better Call Saul, which was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama and completed its run in 2022. He’s also appeared in The Get Down, Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Community, Homicide: Life on the Street and Law and Order. 

Esposito’s talk is hosted by URI’s Student Entertainment Committee, which recently brought comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy of SNL fame to campus.

In his conversation with the URI community, Esposito will discuss his Hollywood journey and the art of his craft. He will be interviewed by Keith Brown, teaching professor in the Harrington School of Communication and Media, a longtime and popular moderator for many SEC conversations, and will also answer questions from the audience (submit at @URISEC on Instagram).

“The students were excited to book Giancarlo who has been actively speaking at schools this fall, including a sold-out event at Binghamton University,” says Michael Nolfe, coordinator of major events in URI’s Student Involvement office. “They admire his work and are excited to hear him talk about his time on Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, his current work on The Mandalorian and the numerous classic movies he has been a part of during his outstanding career.”

Esposito’s career spans nearly five decades with celebrated work in film and television and on stage. He also narrated the Netflix series Dear White People and was the 2014 and 2018 voice of the Winter Olympics for NBC. He has delivered memorable performances in The Usual Suspects, The Jungle Book, Waiting to Exhale, Revolution, Once Upon a Time and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. 

As a speaker, he shares about his journey on stage and screen and the hurdles faced as a person of color and learning to embrace his biracial identity as a part of his acting. 

Esposito’s talk is open to the public, $10 for URI students, $15 for faculty/staff, and $25 for the general public (general admission). Tickets can be purchased online at www.theryancenter.com or at the Ryan Center Box Office.