Bob Odenkirk is a writer and actor based in the United States. He has recently returned to screens with a new movie, in which he plays a washed-up sheriff whose arrival in a small town causes more trouble than it should. Yet he is most well-known for playing Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad. However, like his most well-known character, it has not been an easy ride up to this point.
Odenkirk’s Breaking Bad Near-Death Experience
In 2021, during filming for ‘Better Call Saul’, Odenkirk came very close to the brink. During filming, he went down on the ground suffering from a heart attack and was grabbed by his co-stars. Odenkirk then awoke a week later in the hospital.
He has admitted that the event made him think more about life and shutting down the quick pace of his schedule for something a little more peaceful. He told Gazetta Express that “Now I’m slowing down. The problem is that before the heart attack, I had taken on too many responsibilities. I had years of projects to complete. But now, I’m going to go to Paris with my wife and do nothing,”
The Breakout Moment
Starting out as a writer on Saturday Night Live, it was Breaking Bad that really catapulted Odenkirk into the spotlight. He found the role of the charismatic fraudster Saul Goodman. As a major player in the main character’s criminal empire, in many ways, he stole the show. Originally cast for only four episodes, he was then written into a permanent role.
The legacy of Breaking Bad has been huge, as has its cultural impact. A movie titled El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie was released. This followed remakes in countries such as Korea. It has even been adapted for a series of iGaming titles, including slots. People who enjoy 12 Pots of Gold Drums Frenzy online and other popular online casino games may be familiar with the franchising of Breaking Bad in games like Breaking Bad Roulette, which fused the show’s imagery and licences, a classic casino title and new mechanics. Franchising like this shows the extent of the show’s global success.
The New Normal
Normal is his new offering, which he co-wrote with Derek Kolstad, the creator of John Wick. Yet he has not taken the criminal role in this and has instead played the good guy. Named Ulysses, he plays an interim Sheriff who shows up in the town of Normal. Burdened with a divorce and drinking problems, the character loathes the dull, quiet town he is in until a bank robbery tips the scales and unveils the town’s biggest, hidden secret.
The largest name alongside him in the movie is Henry Winkler, known to many as ‘The Fonz’ from Happy Days. He plays the mayor, who, by Odenkirch’s admission, is a “real jerk who gets his comeuppance” in the movie.
His other projects currently involve a comedy Broadway album, written with Mark Nutter. While it seems Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad may have called time, Odenkirk is resting but still carrying on at pace.
