Bob Odenkirk is one of the most loved actors in the world today. His Saul Goodman is an iconic, immortal character. However, before taking on the role of the ingenious lawyer in the second season of Breaking Bad, he was not doing so well, quite the opposite. He was broke. He told the whole story on Howard Stern’s SiriusXM show.
You said you were bankrupt, literally bankrupt before Breaking Bad – the host asks To which Bob replies:
Yes, I was. Which was crazy. I had worked on a few films, but they weren’t that great, and I didn’t get paid much to make them. I had a lot of fun shooting them, but it led me to not be in sight. My path as a director was not clear to me. So I ended up in this financial black hole, and one morning I got this call from my manager saying, “You have to take this loan to stay afloat.” It was a strange call, and I had young children.
Odenkirk has spent years directing commercials, acting in multiple minor roles, and writing for television. Then came 2008, and Bob Odenkirk was offered a position in Breaking Bad, which was not a sensational hit then. Bob ended up hiring a new manager whose advice was to take any role and to “bring money.” his agent advised him not to say no.
And I thought: “Dude, I haven’t said no in a year and a half, but maybe you haven’t noticed,”. Anyway, I checked the same. I wanted to know what it was. I called a friend, Reid Harrison, who said, “But it’s the best show on TV right now! You absolutely have to do it.”
The final episode of Better Call Saul Premiered on August 15, 2022. Despite having been nominated for 46 Emmys, the show has not won a single Emmy.
