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'Breaking Bad' Star Giancarlo Esposito Embraces Islam While Filming New Project in Saudi Arabia

Turki Al-Sheikh said the 68-year-old actor recited the Shahada and prayed with crew members while filming 7 Dogs.

  • General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Al-Sheikh announced on X that American actor Giancarlo Esposito, 68, recited the Shahada in Saudi Arabia, formally embracing Islam.
  • Esposito is currently in Saudi Arabia filming 7 Dogs, a major action project, as the Kingdom increasingly hosts international film productions to diversify its economy.
  • The actor gained global fame portraying Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and has built an acclaimed career over four decades, appearing in The Mandalorian, The Boys, and Do the Right Thing.
  • Al-Sheikh reported the decision followed a positive personal experience, where Esposito appreciated the hospitality and community he found while working closely with Muslim colleagues on the project.
  • The announcement has prompted considerable discussion on social media among fans who have followed Esposito's career across film and television over several decades.
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Giancarlo Esposito, an American actor known to the general public for having interpreted the fearsome Gus Fring in the Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul series, would have converted to Islam during a stay in Saudi Arabia. The news was reported by Saudi Gazette, which quotes the statements of Turki Al-Sheikh, president of the General Authority for Saudi Entertainment. According to reports, the actor would have pronounced the shahada, the Islamic …

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Hollywood actor Giancarlo Esposito, who has played a key role in popular series like Breaking Bad, has converted to Islam in Saudi Arabia. A video of the actor has surfaced showing him praying.

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Saudi Gazette broke the news in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
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