Actor Michael Mando increased his fame by playing Ignacio “Nacho” Varga on Better Call Saul, and the actor is so invested in the criminal role that he’s even done his own stunts for it, he’s just revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter today.
“I did every stunt in all those episodes except for two: the jumping out of the building and the moment of collision with the trucks. Other than that, I did everything else myself. And it was just an incredible order that they’ve asked me to deliver this season. First of all, it’s incredibly physical. It’s excruciatingly emotional, and psychologically, you’re just hitting every note on the piano. It was such an amazing rollercoaster ride.”
The bulk of the conversation, however, centered around Mando’s character, and where he is going in the show’s final season. As difficult as it is to be someone going from dark to light, Mando said the challenge was a pleasure, adding that while his character has done bad things, making the shift made him feel noble, and he approached the task with a sense of responsibility.
“To play a character who’s breaking good when the full current of the scripts are breaking bad, it positions you with tremendous pressure, but it’s also so rewarding despite the pain, frustration and torment of the character. Because deep down, at its core, you know you’re doing the right thing. You’re standing up for virtue, and in a show about morality, you’re one of the only characters, if not the only character, who’s really going from dark to light. So, it’s such a heroic and fulfilling place to be, and I feel very grateful that they’ve given me that responsibility.”
The final season of Better Call Saul is airing now on AMC. Its final episode will air August 15.