Better Call Saul has become one of the most popular television shows on air right now, thanks to its deep characterization, intricate plot lines, and nuanced writing. One of the stars that has helped put this show on the map is Tony Dalton, who plays cartel member Lalo Salamanca on the series. But who exactly is this actor? Where have you seen him before? And how did he go from making appearances in such films as Rush Hour 2 and The Bourne Identity to playing one of the more memorable roles on Better Call Saul? Read on to find out! Tony Dalton Is the Breakout Star of Better Call Saul
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Meet Lalo Salamanca
I recently had a chance to sit down with actor Tony Dalton, who plays Lalo Salamanca on AMC’s Breaking Bad spinoff series Better Call Saul. I was interested in speaking with Tony because he had worked on an indie film called The Actor’s Ball that I was considering distributing. After chatting with him, I couldn’t help but notice how similar his experience and ours were. So if you are interested in becoming an actor or actress, here is what one person who has made it can tell you: start small and work your way up. Trust me, it takes time to get where you want to be; and even then, there are no guarantees. But if it’s really what you want to do for a living, remember that patience is key.
The Performance
What fans have been seeing from Tony Dalton on Better Call Saul is just one piece of what might be a career-defining year for him. It’s also worth noting that it’s rare for someone in their 30s to get such a pivotal role on a high-profile series like Better Call Saul, but who knows? Maybe we haven’t seen all that Dalton has to offer yet. Whatever comes next, though, we’re happy to have seen his impressive turn as Lalo Salamanca before it fades into the background… especially when he was so memorable. This is an actor whose career is just getting started and we can’t wait to see where he goes from here.
The Actor
Tony Dalton, a Washington-based stage actor, is quickly becoming one of Saul’s best aspects. In season five, he’s slowly becoming a main character—and arguably more engaging than our protagonist. He plays Lalo Salamanca, and has been acting for over twenty years with roles in National Geographic Films and local theater productions like Shakespeare in Action . While his first role was as an extra in John Singleton’s 1991 Boyz n The Hood , he hasn’t had another lead role since 2009 until now. Whether or not you remember him from his parts on Grimm , Bones , or Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (or if you don’t recognize him at all), watching him act is going to be worth your time.
The Character
Tony Dalton plays Lalo Salamanca, a recurring character on AMC’s Better Call Saul. In Breaking Bad, Lalo is a minor player and mostly appears in Season 4 as part of Tuco’s gang. On Breaking Bad, Tony was only credited as Henchman #1 or Thug #2. Despite his relative obscurity to Breaking Bad viewers, Lalo is an important character to Better Call Saul because he provides a connection between two story lines: Mike Ehrmantraut and Nacho Varga. Let’s take a look at some notable scenes featuring Tony…
The Relationship
It’s hard to believe that, at first glance, Lalo Salamanca (played by Tony Dalton) might seem like a throwaway character. He only appears in two episodes in season four and is gone by season five. But his influence looms large over not just one but two iconic characters: Breaking Bad’s Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) and Better Call Saul’s own Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk). The cousins share a familial tie—they are both sons of Ignacio Nacho Hector Salamanca—and it was Nacho who initially introduced Jimmy to Lalo.
Learn about the actor Tony Dalton
Tony is a Los Angeles native who graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 2005. In 2006, he received his theater degree from California State University Fullerton. Tony has also made appearances on shows such as Bad Teacher and True Blood. His work on AMC’s hit series Breaking Bad received positive reviews, but it was not until he took on his role in Better Call Saul that people began to recognize his potential. In 2017, Rolling Stone named him one of their Eight Rising TV Stars Who Will Blow Up in 2018 and Newsweek described him as charismatic and captivatingly creepy all at once. If you haven’t seen him yet, tune into season 5 when it hits your television screen to see what all the hype is about!
It’s All Connected
By now, Breaking Bad fans know that every actor who makes an appearance on Better Call Saul had a role in Breaking Bad. However, one thing that many fans have noted is that Lalo Salamanca has been around since Breaking Bad’s first season. Lalo didn’t have too much to do in those episodes, but it was clear he was high up in the cartel and dangerous. Not long after his introduction, it was clear he was also related to Hector Salamanca (and Tuco before him), which became a big part of how Breaking Bad ended when Walter White went out for revenge by killing Gus Fring then shooting Hector right in front of him.
Click through to watch him in Season 6 Episode 10 Klick
Tony Dalton had a memorable moment in Season 4 when he played Lalo Salamanca. He had one line and gave off an air of menace despite not appearing on screen for long. The Hollywood Reporter called him a scene-stealer and noted that it was unclear if he would ever return to Breaking Bad or spinoff series Better Call Saul but it looks like we’re getting more Tony in Season 6. He’s popped up as Lalo again so here’s everything you need to know about who he is, why he’s important, what we can expect from him in future episodes and how to watch his episode… (continued)
Scroll down for more info on this great character
Tony Dalton portrayed Lalo Salamanca, a recurring character in seasons 4 and 5 and a regular character in season 6. He is one of Hector’s nephews who helped run their drug business after Hector suffered a stroke. Lalo was responsible for taking out Gus Fring and orchestrated an attack on him by having Jimmy break into his home to steal his drug money. He was later killed by Nacho Varga when Nacho realized that he, Mike Ehrmantraut, and Victor were planning to kill Hector Salamanca as payback for killing Tuco, which in turn put his family at risk.
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The Breaking Bad spinoff is back in action, and while Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) isn’t quite as far gone as Walter White was when we first met him, he’s still a ways away from his criminal lawyer days. But what makes it even better is who’s involved. Tony Dalton is playing Lalo Salamanca on Better Call Saul! And when he appears in Breaking Bad as well, we see that villain slowly but surely slip into someone we’ll love to hate… until he gets killed by Tuco! So how does Lalo Salamanca stack up against some of TV’s other great characters? I’m glad you asked…Yes, I think Tony will get some Emmy love after people check out BCS.
Is Lalo really a Salamanca?
Are we supposed to believe that Lalo Salamanca is really Tony Dalton? There are plenty of reasons to doubt it. His appearance: In Witness, we got our first glimpse at Lalo in his pre-Salamanca days, when he still had his hair and was clean-shaven. That’s a far cry from what Tony looks like as Lalo, with his shaved head and facial scars.
Is Tony Dalton white?
It’s been nearly three decades since I lived in Utah. While I’m very familiar with Salt Lake City (where we are today) and Provo, I couldn’t tell you much about Logan or St. George, so what’s Tony Dalton like as a Native American? Tony was one of those people who comes onto a set and brings an energy that changes everything, Odenkirk says. In season 3 he has these big stories [as Lalo Salamanca] that take us out of Albuquerque and into Mexico, which was fun because Albuquerque is great to film in but once you’ve done it over and over again it gets old. He really brought an energy that was different than anybody else, Michael McKean agrees.
Are Nacho and Lalo in Breaking Bad?
Yes, Tony is Lalo Salamanca. In season 4, episode 7, Problem Dog, Lalo is involved in an ambush that’s part of an assassination attempt on Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks). After Mike survives and shoots his attackers, including one who kills another police officer and injures another officer, Nacho (Michael Mando) is seen walking into Lalo’s house with bloody clothes in hand. Later in Breaking Bad, we learn that Nacho was able to kill two DEA agents from that ambush by hiding their bodies under bags full of drugs and selling them to Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz), thereby making it look like Tuco was caught red-handed dealing with drugs.
Is Lalo Salamanca a son of Hector?
It’s a question that has been debated by Better Call Saul fans for years: is Lalo Salamanca actually a son of Hector? Or is he just an illegitimate nephew? But, judging from Vince Gilligan’s comments on it and now Kevin Smith, we’re almost certain. In season 4, episode 7 (Chicanery), Jimmy tells Lalo that they are both children of Hector Salamanca — and it makes sense when you look at it from that perspective. Both Salamanca cousins have thick Spanish accents and Lalo seems to have close connections with Nacho. We know that Nacho isn’t related to Hector because his accent is very different. So, if Lalo was an illegitimate son or nephew, wouldn’t he also have a different accent?
Who is Tucos dad? Tony Dalton Is the Breakout Star of Better Call Saul
Who is Tuco Salamanca’s father? When it comes to Breaking Bad, it doesn’t take long for fans to start speculating about family ties. Who is Walt Jr.’s mother? Who was Gus Fring’s brother? Who was Badger’s mom? Questions like these arise naturally while watching a series as rich with detail and backstory as Breaking Bad. But what happens when fan theories become fact and series creator Vince Gilligan offers up an answer that he didn’t give us in any existing episode of television? That’s what happened recently when Gilligan confirmed that Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz) was indeed related to Hector (Mark Margolis). So who is Tuco’s dad on Breaking Bad?
Is Lalo a psychopath?
The Breaking Bad canon contains several psychopaths, including a notorious one who is arguably one of TV’s greatest villains. They are often feared and revered by characters and fans alike, but since Lalo Salamanca has been absent from television for a while, he has flown under our radar. That could change on Monday, though: while recent viewers might remember Lalo as Tuco’s silent lackey in Breaking Bad, Monday’s episode promises to delve into his mental state. So just how dangerous is Tony Dalton’s character? Let’s take a look at what we know so far.
