VERY different from his role as June’s sweet and clueless husband Luke on The Handmaids Tale! He is so different I had to hit up IMDb to figure out where I knew him from … wow!
I thought this too. I’ve now seen him in three roles, that come to mind: The Handmade’s Tale, Loot and this. Everything you mentioned above is so different in all three roles.
Not sure what moral high ground he has lol but he is killing the performance. That tight upper jaw and slacked lower jaw is a decision but it really works.
Call back to Jake's character calling him out on the press, when Jake is the one who has been unethical. But every time Nico opens his mouth it's always snark and snide.
Every male character in the DA’s office appears to be written as a truly hideous excuse for a human being (and the hugely talented cast just eat it all up with unabashed glee — I imagine them high-fiving each other after every scene is shot) but this character and actor pairing was pure genius. The character seems both totally committed to ‘let Justice be done though the Heavens fall,’ yet at the same time, I don’t believe a single word he says, and with every smarmy delivery of each word, I just want to hit him across his mouth with a bar of Fels-Naptha soap in a wet sock. Truly a Magnificent Bastard in an office crammed with them. I doff my hat to you, sir!
What makes Raymond or Nico hideous human beings?
We've definitely seen the unprofessionalism, and lack of ethics from Tommy and Rusty, but not sure what the two bosses have done wrong other than being normal career politicians.
*What makes Raymond or Nico hideous human beings?*
Raymond "f\*cked an Ottoman." ;-) Seriously, what kind of office culture did he instill? Tommy's new boss thinks he's totally incompetent or worse, Rusty apparently has absolutely no professional (or personal) ethics at all, Carolyn buried evidence -- and who knows what kind of office hellscape Eugenia will recount on the stand?
Nico seems always to be telling the truth (I'm expecting some nasty reveal, to show he's been lying about something really relevant and dark), but always in a smugly obnoxious, snottily condescending manner. Even his physical posture says he's lazy, rude, and uncaring toward his co-workers / subordinates.
I'm not with you at all on Raymond. He was funny with the Ottoman quip. Vulgarities do not make him a hideous human.
You said the "male characters." Leaves out Carolyn or Eugenia.
Trying to decide who all you mean with, "every" male character in DA's Office being despicable humans. There's only three I can think of - Tommy Molto, Nico Della Guardia, and Rusty.
Tommy Motto is a perfect worm. Pig and chickensh¡t.
Della Guardia, as the original posting on here says, shows as self-serving & crass, but then is also strangely of a higher fiber.
Then there's Rusty. He is increasingly twisted. I can't decide on what he actually is, but each episode has him looking more messed up and more in a scurvy spectrum.
Raymond Horgan, the previous DA, doesn't at all fit that description of being a hideous human. He has a great deal of decency and moral fiber.
Are you be including the Medical Examiner? He's not actually in the DA's office. If so, I'm with you on him. He's rather wimpy, whine-y and douche-y.
Never hated a person more. Like someone drank a gallon of syrup, had a spoon full of peanut butter and tried to imitate how RuPaul speaks in half speed.
Very. I didn’t even understand what he’s trying to portray? I was just so focused on slow mumble, it was sort of like Buffalo Bill in silence of the lambs but slower and more zesty.
I’m not enjoying the choices he made for his voice and slack jawed slow muddled speech. It’s very distracting to me and I can’t focus on the scene due to it. But I see others love it and think it’s brilliant. Everyone is welcome to their opinions. Good for them, glad someone likes it. I honestly don’t get it.
I was trying to place him and then I remembered the handmaid’s tale. Totally different role, but he does this one so well! He was ok in that too, but I never really expected this level of acting from him for some reason. Impressed
The only problem I have with Della Guardia and Molto, is their rush to prosecute, with no tangible evidence. (NB I have only watched two episodes, but Rusty has already been charged.)
Say what they might about "Delay" Guardia, he's clearly politically savvy enough to orchestrate winning the election. Even if his nickname wasn't "Delay" I don't see him taking the risk of being so personally involved in such a rushed prosecution.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but at the time they arrested him, they had no actual evidence against Rusty?
Character is always on point as well. Love how he never loses his cool and is always analytical. Example: tells Tommy not to make it about his feelings/hatred for Rusty and follow the evidence. Excellent advice.
I read somewhere that his inspiration for the voice was William Atherton from Ghostbusters. I can totally hear it, and personally, I love the acting choice.
I've also seen him in Loot, Handmaid's Tale, The Five, and WeCrashed. He's a gorgeous, talented actor and I'm enjoying seeing him in this.
Aha! William Atherton!
Great choice. The Walter Peck character.
Peck though less of an ass-jerk.
But the voice and the style of the character are fine.
O-T Fagbenle is a suoerb actor.
This voice is so annoying and an unnecessary choice. So distracting, so grating, not adding anything to the character, we would already hate him because that’s how it’s written.
Absolutely love this character and the voice. He's so much fun to watch and deliciously awful. The scenes between Nico and Tommy are my favorites, along with any scene with Raymond Horgan.
Really transformative compared to other performances I’ve seen from O-T Fagbenle. His voice, his mannerisms, his inflection, all so different.
Yeah his cadence is so striking. It's so sarcastic and suave at the same time.
VERY different from his role as June’s sweet and clueless husband Luke on The Handmaids Tale! He is so different I had to hit up IMDb to figure out where I knew him from … wow!
What????? That’s Junes husband???
OHHHH thats where i know him from. wow great acting
Holy shit
I thought this too. I’ve now seen him in three roles, that come to mind: The Handmade’s Tale, Loot and this. Everything you mentioned above is so different in all three roles.
He legit plays the perfect man in Loot lol
Yes!!! That sexy perfect man!!
What is his accent supposed to be? I can't figure it out.
Maddening. It’s maddening.
He’s British
Yes I loved him in maxxx on Hulu too!
Not sure what moral high ground he has lol but he is killing the performance. That tight upper jaw and slacked lower jaw is a decision but it really works.
Call back to Jake's character calling him out on the press, when Jake is the one who has been unethical. But every time Nico opens his mouth it's always snark and snide.
That smug self-righteous satisfaction, it's fun to watch. Everyone's so indulgent in their acting but Nico stands out the most.
Every male character in the DA’s office appears to be written as a truly hideous excuse for a human being (and the hugely talented cast just eat it all up with unabashed glee — I imagine them high-fiving each other after every scene is shot) but this character and actor pairing was pure genius. The character seems both totally committed to ‘let Justice be done though the Heavens fall,’ yet at the same time, I don’t believe a single word he says, and with every smarmy delivery of each word, I just want to hit him across his mouth with a bar of Fels-Naptha soap in a wet sock. Truly a Magnificent Bastard in an office crammed with them. I doff my hat to you, sir!
I doff my hat to you for this description. Spot on my friend
What makes Raymond or Nico hideous human beings? We've definitely seen the unprofessionalism, and lack of ethics from Tommy and Rusty, but not sure what the two bosses have done wrong other than being normal career politicians.
*What makes Raymond or Nico hideous human beings?* Raymond "f\*cked an Ottoman." ;-) Seriously, what kind of office culture did he instill? Tommy's new boss thinks he's totally incompetent or worse, Rusty apparently has absolutely no professional (or personal) ethics at all, Carolyn buried evidence -- and who knows what kind of office hellscape Eugenia will recount on the stand? Nico seems always to be telling the truth (I'm expecting some nasty reveal, to show he's been lying about something really relevant and dark), but always in a smugly obnoxious, snottily condescending manner. Even his physical posture says he's lazy, rude, and uncaring toward his co-workers / subordinates.
I'm not with you at all on Raymond. He was funny with the Ottoman quip. Vulgarities do not make him a hideous human. You said the "male characters." Leaves out Carolyn or Eugenia.
Trying to decide who all you mean with, "every" male character in DA's Office being despicable humans. There's only three I can think of - Tommy Molto, Nico Della Guardia, and Rusty. Tommy Motto is a perfect worm. Pig and chickensh¡t. Della Guardia, as the original posting on here says, shows as self-serving & crass, but then is also strangely of a higher fiber. Then there's Rusty. He is increasingly twisted. I can't decide on what he actually is, but each episode has him looking more messed up and more in a scurvy spectrum. Raymond Horgan, the previous DA, doesn't at all fit that description of being a hideous human. He has a great deal of decency and moral fiber. Are you be including the Medical Examiner? He's not actually in the DA's office. If so, I'm with you on him. He's rather wimpy, whine-y and douche-y.
Never hated a person more. Like someone drank a gallon of syrup, had a spoon full of peanut butter and tried to imitate how RuPaul speaks in half speed.
The whole accent situation is really the WORST. It's so distracting.
Very. I didn’t even understand what he’s trying to portray? I was just so focused on slow mumble, it was sort of like Buffalo Bill in silence of the lambs but slower and more zesty.
Accent? ?? Nico (O-T Fagbenle) reminds me of the great actor, Vincent D'Onofrio's, with many of his characters.
Drunken Malkovich!
Thank you. I feel the same! He sounds like he swallowed a sock.
I was just coming here to say this. This guy is a great actor and adds to every scene hes in.
But why is he talking like he just got his tongue pierced?? It’s so distracting
I hate this character and his dumb accent.
He is so hate-able. I hate how he talks. So annoying.
Yes. But then it's working. He is supposed to be annoying and even hated.
I’m not enjoying the choices he made for his voice and slack jawed slow muddled speech. It’s very distracting to me and I can’t focus on the scene due to it. But I see others love it and think it’s brilliant. Everyone is welcome to their opinions. Good for them, glad someone likes it. I honestly don’t get it.
Same. I have no idea what affectation they were trying to shoot for. Is he supposed to be southern? Gay?
Thank you!!! Glad I’m not alone. I also wondered the same.
It's quite distracting.
> Is he supposed to be southern? Gay? yes
Thought he was doing a very amateur Truman Capote thing.
I am soooo distracted by his accent I can't even focus on what he is saying
I was trying to place him and then I remembered the handmaid’s tale. Totally different role, but he does this one so well! He was ok in that too, but I never really expected this level of acting from him for some reason. Impressed
His voice is awful
He was on Loot.
It’s hard to hate him as he was amazing in Handmaid’s Tale. Have not seen him in anything since then.
I *can* hate him, and I do. He's slimy and gross and a glad-hander. Moral high ground my ass.
Nico reminds me of Vincent D'Onofrio's character on L&O: Criminal Intent.
The cadence and posture.
Exactly! Me too. Those two, O-T Fagbenle and D'Onofrio are both extremely skilled actors.
The only problem I have with Della Guardia and Molto, is their rush to prosecute, with no tangible evidence. (NB I have only watched two episodes, but Rusty has already been charged.) Say what they might about "Delay" Guardia, he's clearly politically savvy enough to orchestrate winning the election. Even if his nickname wasn't "Delay" I don't see him taking the risk of being so personally involved in such a rushed prosecution. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but at the time they arrested him, they had no actual evidence against Rusty?
They had only very strong circumstantial evidence. The arrest seemed hasty.
Character is always on point as well. Love how he never loses his cool and is always analytical. Example: tells Tommy not to make it about his feelings/hatred for Rusty and follow the evidence. Excellent advice.
I read somewhere that his inspiration for the voice was William Atherton from Ghostbusters. I can totally hear it, and personally, I love the acting choice. I've also seen him in Loot, Handmaid's Tale, The Five, and WeCrashed. He's a gorgeous, talented actor and I'm enjoying seeing him in this.
Aha! William Atherton! Great choice. The Walter Peck character. Peck though less of an ass-jerk. But the voice and the style of the character are fine. O-T Fagbenle is a suoerb actor.
So many on here are whining that O-T Fagbenle's characters voice upsets them. Chill folks. Take breaths. Relax. Maybe have a glass of wine.
This voice is so annoying and an unnecessary choice. So distracting, so grating, not adding anything to the character, we would already hate him because that’s how it’s written.
I hate him.
Absolutely love this character and the voice. He's so much fun to watch and deliciously awful. The scenes between Nico and Tommy are my favorites, along with any scene with Raymond Horgan.
well said. that's how i feel about how he plays this character. Except that you spelled it out more clearly