Michael Mando will have to look for a new acting gig. Apple TV+ has fired Mando, 41, from its upcoming series Sinking Spring, per The Hollywood Reporter. Mando, best known as Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul and Vaas Montenegro in the FarCry video games, was allegedly “dismissed from the show following a clash with a co-star.” The details of the “clash,” including the opposing cast member’s identity, are not clear, with both THR and Deadline characterizing the situation as an “on-set incident.”
THR also noted that there was an attempt from Sinking Spring producers “to smooth things out” but that wasn’t fruitful. In the end, Mando was let go from the production. His role, a longtime friend of lead character Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) named Manny Cespedes, has already been recast.
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Wagner Moura will assume the Manny role. Moura is best known for portraying drug lord Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s true crime show Narcos. He’ll be familiar to Apple TV+ viewers from his role as Dan Velasquez on Shining Girls. Moura will join previously announced cast members Henry, Ving Rhames, Kate Mulgrew, Dustin Nguyen, Marin Ireland, Amir Arison, Nesta Cooper, Idris Debrand, Liz Caribel and Will Pullen.
Mando has not spoken out on the matter, and Apple TV+ declined to comment to the trade publications.
The actor recently wrapped up his time on Better Call Saul, which ended with Season 6 on AMC. During that final season, he chatted with PopCulture.com about his character and journey.
“We are at the mercy of the writers, and you can’t do a show with such incredible writers and not always give your hats off to the writers. For me, personally, when I took on this role, I really wanted to play — I wanted to break the archetype of the cartel, gangster character,” Mando said. “Someone I was just speaking to in an interview said that my character was breaking good, and I really like that. I like the idea that it was someone who was in this world, but who was trying to do the right thing, who had integrity, who wasn’t perfect by any means, but who truly did not want to give in to the dark side.”
