''I'm a bad man'' – Kaleidoscope star Giancarlo Esposito reveals how he prepared to play the role of a thief

Actor Giancarlo Esposito recently appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, wherein he spoke about preparing for the role of Ray Vernon in Netflix's new heist drama series, titled Kaleidoscope.

Esposito has previously played the role of criminal mastermind Gustavo Fring in the insanely popular series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. He jokingly said:

''I'll tell you the truth about me. I'm a bad man.''

Esposito further went on to share a hilarious story pertaining to his preparation for the role and also spoke about the show's unique episodic structure, among other things. Kaleidoscope was released on Netflix on January 1, 2023, and received mostly positive reviews from fans and critics.

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Kaleidoscope star Giancarlo Esposito opens up on preparing for the role of a thief, and more details

Giancarlo Esposito told Jimmy Fallon that in Kaleidoscope, he had ''a chance to really excel physically and mentally.'' He then spoke about his preparation for his role as a thief in the show.

Esposito revealed that when he was at an airport, he started thinking about how he'd sneak up on somebody without them knowing:

''So I sneak up on a lady. She's walking. And everyone's on their cellphone. No one's paying attention anymore anyway. And she had a pen in her coat pocket.''

Giancarlo Esposito further continued:

''And her coat was open, and it was flapping a little bit, and I thought, 'Let's see how good I am. If I can just get to that pen with two fingers...' And so I snuck up on her. I was over her right shoulder, and I trailed her. I got my fingers in her pocket, very much like this [pointing towards his own pocket]. And I took the pen, and I slid it up, and then I dropped it on the ground. I didn't want to steal it.''

Regarding the order of the show, Esposito suggested that viewers watch the episode 'White' at the end, whilst the rest can be watched in any order. He explained that the story is ''connected via character and event.''

Giancarlo Esposito said that the show is about a heist that took place during a hurricane back in the late 70s and early 80s that witnessed the loss of ''$7 billion in unsecured bearer bonds.''

The series received critical acclaim, with praise mostly directed towards the show's unique structure, storyline, and writing, among other things. Esposito's performance in the lead role garnered high praise from critics.

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In brief, about Kaleidoscope plot, cast, and more details

Kaleidoscope focuses on a team of criminals who're planning a complicated heist. They're led by an enigmatic and charismatic man named Ray Vernon, aka Leo Pap. Here's the official synopsis of the show, according to Netflix's Tudum:

''A master thief and his crew attempt an epic and elaborate heist worth $7 billion dollars — but betrayal, greed and other threats undermine their plans.''

Appearing alongside Giancarlo Esposito in key roles are actors like Rufus Sewell as Roger Salas, Paz Vega as Ava Mercer, and Peter Mark Kendall as Stan Loomis, among various others, in key roles.

The series has a total of eight episodes, with each episode named after a color. It is helmed by 'Matchstick Men' writer Eric Garcia.

Kaleidoscope is available for streaming on Netflix.