Despite his significant part in the ‘Breaking Bad’ world, Bob Odenkirk joined the cast without having seen any episodes of the show. He became a part of the team during the second season but didn’t catch up on the series before starting.
In a light-hearted moment on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Odenkirk confessed:
“I had never seen the show. I never saw the show, and I got hired, and I was like, ‘This will be cool.’”
He Couldn’t Hide His Secret From Bryan Cranston
To prepare for his role, Odenkirk was given a DVD of the series but struggled to find a suitable time to watch it due to the mature content and the presence of his young children at home.
Even as filming progressed, Odenkirk hadn’t managed to watch the show, a fact that became embarrassingly clear during a chat with co-star Bryan Cranston. The actor recalled:
“Eventually, I watched the show, but I did have a faux pas in the makeup trailer one time. Bryan was talking about a scene he was doing, and I’m like, ‘Well, yeah, but your character and Gus are friends, right?’ And he looked at me — this is the third season — and he goes, ‘You’ve never watched the show, have you?’ And I just laughed. I didn’t answer him.”
The Actor Felt Like A Guest
Feeling somewhat like an outsider due to joining the show after it had formed its core dynamics, Odenkirk also described his part in the cast as a guest appearance. Still, he was a part of the ‘Breaking Bad’ cast reunion at the SAG Awards 2024:
“They were very good people to include me because I really was popping in. I felt very much like a guest in their company.”
Despite this initial oversight, Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman became a fan favorite, leading to the successful spinoff ‘Better Call Saul.’ Airing from 2015-2022, the series itself was a hit, which received 53 Emmy nominations over its run.
