10 Best Performances In Better Call Saul
5. Michael Mando (Nacho Varga)
Nacho Varga is one of the most intriguing characters in the Breaking Bad universe precisely because he doesn’t appear in that show. Over five years of Better Call Saul we’ve seen him on something of a downward spiral, climbing the cartel ladder but with ever increasing risks to him and those around him.
Like Jesse Pinkman, Nacho is a criminal whose heart isn’t in it, or rather who maintains too many connections to the straight world, to decency and values, to make it as a crook. Michael Mando made the character his own from the off, able to steal scenes from Raymond Cruz (the volatile Tuco Salamanca).
Mando is tasked with a difficult job: he plays a smart character who makes stupid decisions, which can be tough to make relatable. He’s obviously doing something right, because his scenes are among the show’s most tense, as his attempts to right previous wrongs succeed only in getting him into further grief.
There’s no way of knowing where Nacho will end up, but odds are it’s nowhere particularly nice. Mando has created a morally compromised character who is easy to root for - an impressive feat.