Breaking Bad’s Hector Salamanca – Mark Margolis passes away at 83

Mark Margolis, the beloved actor known for his powerful portrayal of the vengeful drug lord Hector Salamanca in the hit TV series Breaking Bad and its prequel Better Call Saul, has passed away at the age of 83.

Margolis, who had been hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a brief illness, succumbed to his condition on Thursday. The news was shared by his son, Morgan Margolis, who is also an actor and the CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment.

Margolis showcased his talent in various notable roles throughout his career. He notably played Alberto the Shadow, a Bolivian henchman, in Brian De Palma's Scarface (1984), and portrayed the gruff landlord Mr. Shickadance in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994). From 1998 to 2003, he captivated audiences as the HIV-infected mob boss Antonio Nappa in HBO's Oz.

Margolis collaborated extensively with director Darren Aronofsky, appearing in several of his films. He played an aging math teacher in Pi (1998) and went on to feature in Aronofsky's subsequent works, including Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), The Wrestler (2008), Black Swan (2010), and Noah (2014).

His breakthrough role as Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad came in 2009, where he portrayed a paralyzed character who communicated solely through facial expressions and a bell attached to his wheelchair. Margolis reprised the role in Better Call Saul, exploring Salamanca's backstory in the prequel series.

Margolis received critical acclaim for his performance and earned an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor in a drama series in 2012. 

"I was only coming onto Breaking Bad as far as I knew for that one episode, but there’s no accounting for taste, and the fans took a fancy to me," he said.