The 2012 Emmy nominations were recently announced, with Esposito's Breaking Bad series garnering a total of 13 nominations.
Esposito, who plays Gus Fring in the AMC series, received a nod for 'Supporting Actor In A Drama Series'.
He will compete against six other actors, including his Breaking Bad co-star Aaron Paul.
Speaking to Vulture about his Emmy nomination, Esposito said: "I found out from my publicist Lee Wallman. Then my children at the same moment were calling, so I knew something was going on.
"All four of my girls got me on speakerphone to yell, 'Congratulations, Papa, we knew you could do it!' None of them watch the show except my eldest, of course."
Esposito's eldest daughter is 16 years old, and apparently wants to be a pathologist when she grows up.
He said: "Shayne, she's 16. I had to make a big decision about allowing her to see the screening in Albuquerque of the fourth season opener, 'Box Cutter'. I was nervous about that. But she really took it well.
"I turned to her before it started and said, 'Just remember something, Shayne. The guy you're looking at right here is your papa. The guy up there is the guy your papa is channeling'. She said to me afterward, 'I thought it was okay, but I gotta say, I thought that was a great kill'."
