Penn Badgley, known for his role in “You,” has opened up about the problematic truth of missing out on a significant part in “Breaking Bad” that could have substantially impacted his career.
It is essential to remember that, like any TV or film production, a strict audition process is employed to select the most suitable actor for each role. This process allows the production team to identify the performer who best fits the character’s development.
Numerous actors participated in auditions for the AMC crime series, including Aaron Paul, who was relatively unknown in Hollywood then and wanted to play the role of Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad. Paul revealed that he faced competition from a well-known celebrity during the auditions.
Penn Badgley Reflects on Losing Major Breaking Bad Role
Penn Badgley, famously known for playing the role of serial stalker Joe Goldberg in the Netflix series, You, discussed how close he was to landing a role on Breaking Bad in an interview with Buzzfeed. “One I got so close on was ‘Breaking Bad.’ It was between me and Aaron Paul. We tested. And actually, that was the best television script I’d read, at that point. That was the one that got away.“
During a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Aaron Paul also mentioned that Penn Badgley auditioned for the role of Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad. Badgley’s Gossip Girl co-star, Chase Crawford, who later played Deep in The Boys, confirmed this, stating that Badgley had tested for the role of Jesse, despite having been offered the part in Gossip Girl without auditioning for it.
Audiences find it difficult to imagine anyone else playing Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad due to the immense critical acclaim Aaron Paul received for his performance. His involvement in the series undoubtedly had a significant impact on his life.
