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The Mandalorian fight scene that Giancarlo Esposito helped choreograph

Speaking at LA Comic Con 2024, Giancarlo Esposito talked about one scene in which he got to decide how a scuffle with Cara Dune and Moff Gideon would go down

Giancarlo Esposito in The Mandalorian
Image credit: Lucasfilm

If you get Giancarlo Esposito to be in your movie or TV show, chances are you're going to listen to his suggestions for his character. It seems like the decision-makers of The Mandalorian would agree with that statement, as the Moff Gideon actor recently revealed he was trusted to choreograph one of his own fights scenes. 

Attending a Mandalorian panel at LA Comic Con 2024, Esposito was asked about his experience working with director John Favreau, who the Breaking Bad actor called "incredible." Particularly, Espositio valued Favreau's willingness to trust his actors "to follow the instinct." As an example, he shared one memory from filming the season 2 finale.

"On set, we ran into a problem with a fight with Cara Dune. The director, Rick [Famuyiwa] was giving suggestions, and the actors were giving suggestions [...] but we called in the big guns. And John looked at me and said, 'You know what to do.' And I love that, because then it empowered me."

So what did Esposito go with? Well, as you know if you've seen the episode, it was the answer that was simplest.

"After John said that to me," he explained, "I walked back on the set. We went through the scene again and I knew exactly what should be done. I suggested she turn this gun around and just pop me in the head with it, and I fall straight back on my back. How simple is that?"

"Incredibly simple" is the answer, but it's still cool that Giancarlo got to turn fight choreographer, even if just for a moment. Then again, who knows? Maybe one day we'll find out that Espositio was the mind behind Sidewinder's moves when he faces off against Captain America. Still, we bet there's a little bit more than laser-powered pistol whipping going down in those scenes. 

The Mandalorian is streaming now on Disney+.



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Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. As Popverse's Staff Writer, he criss-crosses the pop culture landscape bringing you the news and opinions about the big things (and the next big things). In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

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