No one really knew what to expect when Bob Odenkirk went from the comic relief side character inBreaking Badto the main character inBetter Call Saulback in 2015, especially when it was the same character. But, seven years later, not only is it clear that he was up to the challenge, but now he’s going to be rewarded for his performance as Saul Goodman in one of the best ways Hollywood knows how.
Odenkirk will be getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 1725 Vine St. on April 18th - coincidentally, the exact same day the final season ofBetter Call Saulpremieres - and what’s even better is that Odenkirk’s star will be placed right next to hisBreaking Badco-star Bryan Cranston’s. The ceremony for Odenkirk’s efforts will be held at 11:30 AM PT.
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In light of Odenkirk’s accomplishment, what’s amazing is that he did not think gettingthe role of Saul Goodmanback in 2009 would lead to all that has happened since. “I thought I was being asked to do three or four episodes. They weren’t sure at the time. I couldn’t do the fourth because I was signed up for ‘How I Met Your Mother.’ As a result, they invented the character of Mike [played by Jonathan Banks] because I wasn’t available for the fourth episode,” Odenkirk said in an interview with Variety. “Thank God for ‘How I Met Your Mother.’ It made it possible for me to have this other show, ‘Better Call Saul,’ which was me and Mike, at least when it started.”
While the public knows Odenkirk best for his work as sleazy criminal attorney Saul Goodman in bothBreaking BadandBetter Call Saul, his career in comedy, in general, has fallen under the radar. Odenkirk got his first break as a writer forSaturday Night Livein 1991. In fact, he was the mastermind behind the iconic Chris Farley character Matt Foley, a.k.a. the motivational speaker who lived in a van down by the river. Odenkirk later went on to star in TV shows likeThe Ben Stiller ShowandMr. Show with Bob and Davidin the 1990s. He continued to receive small roles in television and film before getting his most iconic role as Saul Goodman.
It’s times like these that continue to demonstrate that even if a certain breed of actors typically perform in comedy as their bread and butter, that doesn’t mean they can’t pull off a good performance in drama. Odenkirk’s portrayal of the once well-meaning Jimmy McGill turning into the morally corrupt Saul Goodman has made for one of the most fascinating character studies in the history of television. All of that wouldn’t have been possible without the time and care Odenkirk put into capturing McGill’s inevitable downfall.
It was the same case with Odenkirk’s formerco-star Bryan Cranston. AMC executives laughed in Vince Gilligan’s face when he said he wanted Cranston to play Walter White back in 2007 because Cranston was best known as the doofus dad fromMalcolm in the Middle. Both Cranston and Odenkirk rewarded Gilligan for his faith in them. And now, both of them, who had been previously known for their comedic repertoire beforehand, portrayed two of the most fascinating characters we’ve seen on television during the 21st Century.
Better Call Saulseason 6 will be premiering on AMC on June 04, 2025.
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