Leguizamo's Esposito seeks redemption by catching an arsonist in 'Smoke'
NEW YORK, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge! and Ice Age Icon John Leguizamo says the disgraced detective he plays in Smoke is seeking redemption by trying to bring down the former partner who cost him his career.
Created by best-selling novelist Dennis Lehane, the show follows a law-enforcement task force, including Leguizamo's Esposito, who are determined to catch Dave (Taron Egerton), an arson investigator and prolific fire-setter.
"He got too close to the truth. He knew who the arsonist was and that's when they destroyed his career, made him the fall guy, and he hit rock bottom," Leguizamo, 65, told UPI about his character in a recent Zoom interview.
"He drinks a lot and takes a lot of pills and he becomes a porn director," the actor said. "But then he gets a chance to get back on the [police] force because he knows the truth. But he has to keep constantly proving himself and I think that's the exciting part of being in that character. I have to fluctuate. I have to fight with all these different forces against me and no one will believe me."
John Leguizamo knows how to make an entrance.#Smoke - Now Streaming pic.twitter.com/K5PRDIxApf— Apple TV (@AppleTV) July 18, 2025
Esposito finds an unlikely ally in ATF Agent Hudson, played by Veep and My Girl alum Anna Chlumsky, 44.
"She tries to help me get back the reins," Leguizamo laughed. "Poor woman. She's exhausted because of me."
To prepare for the role, Chlumsky looked at what a woman in her position would have had to accomplish to get to where she is in a predominantly male field.
"There's this sense of having to prove yourself over and over, even if you've gotten to the point where you're leading a task force," she said.
"That never goes away. It's part of your conditioning. It's part of your workplace code switch and that's really where I was jumping in from. I was jumping in from how trusted she felt at work, how much she trusts herself and, ultimately, not wanting to let any of those insecurities get into her ability to do the job well."
Leguizamo pointed out that this is a theme for many of the characters in Smoke.
"Jurnee [Smollett] has to try to prove herself," he said, to which Chlumsky replied, "Also, to whom are you proving something, right?"
Leguizamo said he was happy to provide the comic relief in a show that digs into some really serious topics, including crime, corruption, mental illness, suicide and violence against women.
"What I love about this series is that it has teeth," Leguizamo said.
"It's not easy. It's not just light-hearted," he added. "I love that it's really dark, complex characters, people with a lot of demons and, then, we get a chance, Anna and I, to bring a little humor and a little repartee that lightens it up a little bit, but they are still messed-up characters. We're still broken human beings and I love playing those kind of characters that are really vulnerable and, yet, they fight for the truth."
Chlumsky emphasized that the show is first and foremost intended to be entertaining.
"Even when he's going to the darkest questions and exploring the shame of his characters or the parts of this characters that they don't even want to look at, you can tell that [Lehane] is remaining playful," Chlumsky said.
"He's having a great time and that's, I think, what energizes the whole thing."
The series wrapped up on Apple TV+ Friday. Greg Kinnear and Rafe Spall co-star.
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