Many will remember Mark Margolis as drug lord Hector Salamanca, who could only communicate through facial expressions and a shrill bell. The US actor has now died at the age of 83.
The US actor Mark Margolis, known among other things from the series “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul”, is dead. He died on Thursday after a short illness in a New York clinic, the family said on Friday. Margolis was 83 years old.
In “Breaking Bad,” Margolis shone as Hector Salamanca, a wheelchair-bound drug lord after a stroke who uses a doorbell to communicate. His performance earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2012. Margolis also took on the role of Salamanca in the 2016 prequel series Better Call Saul.
“A wonderful person”
“Margolis was a really good actor and a wonderful person,” wrote “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston on Instagram. He was funny in private, but in front of the camera he could be scary. The official online appearance of the series “Breaking Bad” stated that the “amazingly talented Mark Margolis” – with just a bell and his eyes – “transformed Hector Salamanca into one of the unforgettable characters in television history”.
From theater to film
Margolis, who learned his craft in well-known acting schools in New York, began his career on theatrical stages. His film break came in Brian De Palma’s 1983 gangster film Scarface. His work for film and television includes more than 160 productions.
Margolis worked particularly often with director Darren Aronofsky. He got him in front of the camera for “Black Swan”, “The Wrestler”, “The Fountain” or “Pi”, among others. Aronofsky called the deceased a “legend”.