Eduardo "Lalo" Salamanca ( , ) is a fictional character on the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a prequel of Breaking Bad. Introduced in the fourth season, he is portrayed by Tony Dalton and was created by Peter Gould and screenwriter Gordon Smith. Dialogue that introduces Saul Goodman in the Breaking Bad episode "Better Call Saul" mentions Lalo and Nacho Varga, though neither appear in Breaking Bad. Lalo is one of many nephews of Hector Salamanca, an enforcer of Don Eladio Vuente's drug cartel. After Hector suffers a stroke, Lalo arrives from Mexico to help run the family drug operation in Albuquerque and takes a greater interest in the day-to-day details than Hector did. Because of the rivalry between Gus Fring and Hector, Lalo becomes dedicated to disrupting Gus' legitimate restaurant business as well as his reputation with the cartel. Showrunners gave Dalton freedom to diverge from cartel stereotypes and portrayals of the other members of the Salamanca family. Series co-creator Vince Gilligan held himself responsible for delaying Lalo's introduction, as Gould had wanted to introduce Lalo as early as season one. Unlike most other members of his family, Lalo is charismatic and often cheerful; but like them, he can also be brutally and remorselessly vicious. Dalton's portrayal has been critically acclaimed, with some critics deeming Lalo to be one of the best villains on television. Conception and development In July 2018, Tony Dalton joined Better Call Saul in the role of Lalo Salamanca, first appearing in the season four episode "Coushatta". The Breaking Bad season two episode "Better Call Saul" mentions Lalo; it also introduces Saul Goodman (Jimmy McGill's business name) and mentions "Ignacio" (Nacho Varga). In an interview before Better Call Saul aired, Vince Gilligan said that the writers had envisioned Lalo as a major character and as with Breaking Bad, must "keep close tabs on what our characters have done in the past and make good use of it here in the present and the future". However, Gilligan and Peter Gould had trouble figuring out how to introduce the character properly. They considered him a bogeyman around the second season of Breaking Bad, but had not figured out his personality or motivations. Gilligan held himself responsible for delaying Lalo's introduction, as Gould had wanted to introduce Lalo as early as season one. Gould saw that Lalo needed to be different from the other members of the