Michael Mando has revealed that he was navigating life without a home while chasing his dream of becoming an actor.
He also admitted that repeated audition rejections during that period made him feel “untalented,” though he now sees those experiences as a natural part of the human journey.
The actor is best known for playing Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul and Mac Gargan in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” He is set to reprise the role in the upcoming “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” where he’ll finally transform into the mechanically enhanced version of his character, Scorpion.
In less than 48 hours, Michael Mando will return to the Marvel universe after first earning widespread acclaim for his standout performance in “Better Call Saul.”
That success was built on years of sacrifice, as the actor revealed during a recent appearance on the “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast.
“I was homeless when I started my acting career,” the Canadian actor shared. “I used to shower at the YMCA. I used to take a bus from Montreal to Toronto overnight. I used to shower at the YMCA, go do an audition, and then take the bus back.”
The Canadian Actor Recalls Being Kicked Out By A Friend
During that period, Mando occasionally stayed at friends’ apartments, though those living arrangements often proved difficult.
“I remember in the winter, I got kicked out of my friend’s apartment because I overslept and I burnt his sheets by accident on the heater,” the Marvel star recalled. “And he’s like, ‘Man, you got to go. We can’t both sleep on a small mattress.’”
Afterward, Mando rented an apartment with poor living conditions because it was all he could afford. He continued auditioning for roles but faced far more rejections than callbacks, leaving him to question whether he was truly meant to become an actor.
“I felt so s—ty in my life so many times,” he said. “I felt small, I felt unwanted, I felt untalented, I felt hopeless, and that’s just a part of the human experience.”
Mando Shares Hope For Anyone Facing Homelessness
Across the six-season run of “Better Call Saul,” Mando appeared in 33 episodes, a role that helped elevate both his career and financial stability.
His role in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is also expected to be significantly larger than his appearance in “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” marking another major milestone in his Hollywood career.
Looking back on his journey, Mando said he hopes his story inspires others facing similar hardships.
He said, “To everyone out there, if you’ve been broke, if you’ve been homeless, if you thought that there’s no way out, of course I felt it. And I can promise you almost every single great person, actor, anyone you’ve ever met has felt it. It’s not just you; everybody feels it.”
The ‘Elysium’ Star Hyped ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Ahead Of Premiere
Mando recently stopped by San Diego Comic-Con, where he spoke with Extra about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
When asked what fans should be most excited about, the actor kept spoilers to a minimum while offering high praise for the film.
“I think Spider-Man: Brand New Day is arguably one of the best superhero movies, period. I hope people enjoy it as much as we have making it,” Mando said.
He also praised lead star Tom Holland and the rest of the cast.
“All the stuff I’ve seen Tom do on and off camera is just great. Phenomenal. And everybody in that—I think everybody crushes it. So, I can’t wait for the world to see it.”
Michael Mando Lands Another Iconic Comic Book Villain
Next month, Mando will return to the superhero genre once again, this time lending his voice to Bane in the animated DC film Batman: Knightfall.
The actor revealed that the most rewarding part of playing the iconic villain came after much of the voice work had already been completed.
“I came back to do some of the grunts after they animated it, and I saw basically Bane and Batman fighting, and I had a callback to when I was a kid,” Mando recalled. “I just remember thinking, ‘Wow, imagine telling the eight-year-old me you’re going to beat up Batman and it’s going to be great.’ That was really beautiful.”
