Giancarlo Esposito is no stranger to the fandom convention circuit. His role in “Breaking Bad” brought him some fans. His roles in Abigail and The Mandolorian bring a different type. And his upcoming role in Captain America: Brave New World will push him into a world Marvel fans have never experienced before.
He admits it’s all thanks to the fans.
“It’s their fault that I was able to be in ‘Captain America,’ because I liked the idea of โโthe X-Men and a lot of other comic book characters, but I didn’t like the idea of โโthat particular fandom. Because there was an explosion. [Marvel executive] “I said to Nate Moore at the Emmy Awards, ‘It would be great to do something with you,'” Esposito said.
“I think the world of film and television is changing and people are listening to the fans. Fans are loyal. If the fans like what you’re doing, they’re going to push you to do more. It will create space for you to do things you do and things you donโt do.โ
The award-winning actor is one of the standout attendees at this year’s Los Angeles Comic Con. This con is held Friday through Sunday and has been held in various forms since 2011. Founded as Comikaze Expo by producer Regina Carpinelli and her brother, the show attracted support from industry stars such as Elvira, Todd McFarlane, and Stan Lee. After many iterations and name changes, it now draws about 125,000 people to the downtown L.A. convention center. It’s not as low-key, but when you mention it alongside other national fandom events, it might seem like it doesn’t have the same appeal as Hollywood.
There’s little reason to that logic, but this year may help prove it.
Chris Dumoulin, CEO and GM of Los Angeles Comic-Con parent company CEI, wants to create a home for Angeleno geeks.
(Courtesy of Los Angeles Comic Con)
Chris Dumoulin, CEO and GM of LA Comic-Con’s parent company CEI, wants LA Comic-Con to become a home for Angeleno geeks. This compares to its two closest comparisons (as opposed to its competitors): Anime Expo, which features Japanese anime, manga, and cosplay, and San Diego Comic-Con International, which, although fan-centric, has become a calling card for Hollywood studios. it’s different.
But how is it different?
“From day one, our philosophy has been to be a convention by fans, for fans. … Initially, as a small show, the studio approached us to work with us and do a big promotional campaign together. We weren’t going to consider it, so we asked our fans, “Who would you like to meet?” โ says Dumoulin. “So we’re not just doing it for the sake of doing it. Guys like Hayden Christensen have ranked in our top five recommended guests in post-show surveys we’ve done over the past five years. I really do that because I am in it.โ
In addition to Esposito and Christensen, fan-favorite guests such as Ewan McGregor, Tara Strong, Hayden Panettiere, and Gordon Cormier will be added this year. Reunited cast members from “Back to the Future” and “The Addams Family” will also appear at panels and autograph booths.
Dumoulin was excited about the cast of the four Hobbits (Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan) in last year’s Lord of the Rings series, but this year’s Harvesting is equally exciting. Many of the names like Rosario Dawson and Ming-Na Wen are well known on the convention circuit. But some, like Michael J. Fox and Anjelica Huston, are making LA Comic-Con a little different.
“I mean, Anjelica Huston. A great actor. I don’t usually do bad things, but when Christopher Lloyd was there and he was talking to Christina Ricci, I thought, ‘Hey, it’s an ‘Addams Family’ reunion!” I did. We reached out to her agent and she said, “Oh, I don’t normally do this, but since I live here, why don’t you give it a try?” ‘I was like, ‘That’s it.’
The close proximity not only to where stars work in Hollywood but also where they live is also a unique element of the growing practice. Although Esposito is a self-confessed New Yorker, he feels there’s something special about this event’s LA feel. He’s been to the concert twice so far, and he’ll be there again this year, and while you may only know him as the villain Moff Gideon from “The Mandolorian,” you’ll probably know more about his career. He plans to greet fans who are in the know.
“I think L.A. Comic Con is an example of people who are also involved in film, and I think that gives it a little bit of an edge,” Esposito says. “The connective tissue between Los Angeles and Hollywood, movies, nerdy actors, and nerdy techies is huge. I always look forward to attending LA Comic-Con, because one of the reasons I go to Comic-Con is the surprise… Because it’s about feeling enchanted and joyful.”
A shot of the Artist Alley from last year’s Los Angeles Comic Con held at the LA Convention Center.
(Courtesy of Los Angeles Comic Con)
Like any fandom gathering, LA Comic-Con strives to keep fans front and center among the vendors. The main stage is actually located in the middle of the showroom floor and hosts approximately 900 exhibitors and artists. The Artist Alley section also focuses on what Dumoulin considers to be one of the main objectives of the competition.
โUltimately, we want this to be a place where creators can come and announce new stuff and interact with fans. We have a really knowledgeable and interesting fan base in this city, and they’re going to go outside. I love going out and meeting creators related to what I love,โ Dumoulin says.
The convention is evolving, and this year will feature video game creators and a lot of anime and manga-focused entertainment in their respective spaces. New additions are a side effect of growth, with more to come.
“As we grow, I think you’ll see us continue to add concentric circles of adjacent entertainment spaces, but always staying true to our inner nerds and never moving away from our core franchises,” Du said. Mulan continues. “Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, the whole comic book world. That’s always going to be the core of what we do. But we’re LA, so I think there’s an opportunity to do more.”