Breaking Bad Cast Pays Tribute to Mark Margolis, Dead at 83

Bryan Cranston called Margolis “a really good actor and a lovely human being,” while Bob Odenkirk praised the late star for his “powerful screen presence.”

On Friday, Margolis’ family announced the actor died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a brief illness. No other details were shared. Margolis was best known for playing drug lord Hector “Tio” Salamanca in the AMC series Breaking Bad and the prequel series Better Call Saul.

Following the news of his passing, Margolis’ Breaking Bad co-stars Bryan Cranston, Bob Odenkirk, and Dean Norris took to social media to share touching tributes to the late actor.

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Cranston — who also worked with Margolis on the legal drama Your Honor — reacted to Margolis’ death on Instagram, sharing photos of him from both Your Honor and Breaking Bad.

“I am very saddened today to learn of a friend’s passing. Mark Margolis was a really good actor and a lovely human being,” Cranston captioned the post. “Fun and engaging off the set, and (in the case of Breaking Bad and Your Honor) intimidating and frightening on set. His quiet energy belied his mischievous nature and curious mind… And he loved sharing a good joke.”

“I miss him already,” he added, before concluding his post, “Rest now, Mark and thank you for your friendship and your exceptional body of work.”

Odenkirk — who shared the screen with Margolis on both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul — posted to X (née Twitter), writing, “A powerful screen presence! Mark made me laugh in the van on the way to set with his jokes and comments and I only hope I have half his energy and focus when ‘Action’ was shouted. Thank you, Mark, and condolences to your family.”

Norris also shared a post to X. “So sad to hear Mark Margolis has died,” he said. “A phenomenal actor. A funny guy. RIP. My thoughts are with his family

Meanwhile, Breaking Bad writer and Better Call Saul co-creator Peter Gould wrote that he was “absolutely devastated” over the news. “Mark was brilliant, funny, a raconteur with a million stories,” he said in an X post. “I miss him already.”

The official Breaking Bad X account also issued a statement on Margolis’ passing: “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. He will be missed.”

Read the tributes in the posts, below.