Better Call Saul has been a favorite amongst critics and fans, with 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.9/10 on IMDb. Bob Odenkirk has done a remarkable job while playing the lead role, of Saul Goodman, a small-time attorney in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He finds his ‘ways’ to make his buck even if it means breaking the law.
This beautiful character-focused drama is crafted by the brilliant Vince Gilligan as a prequel to the famous Breaking Bad with more if not the same amount of intensity and flair. In a recent appearance on Hot Ones, Odenkirk must answer a few insightful questions while gnawing on chicken wings laced with hot sauce that gets ‘hotter by the wing’. He unfolds a few harsh truths about playing Saul Goodman and being an actor.
An Overview of Bob Odenkirk and Saul Goodman
Early on in Bob Odenkirk’s career, he co-created and co-starred in HBO’s comedy sketch series Mr.Show with Bob and David and also featured in sit-coms like How I Met Your Mother for a small role. Later on, he was selected for Breaking Bad which eventually lead to a spin-off, Better Call Saul giving him the lead role after which he was involved with a host of high-profile gigs like Fargo, Incredibles 2, and Nobody.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
Better Call Saul revolves around Jimmy McGill, who changed his name because he despised his brilliant yet unstable attorney brother. With his name, he also changed the way he does ‘business’. Saul Goodman is an unsavory small-time lawyer who happens to be a habitual liar which equals his wit and dexterity. Whilst building a reputation, Goodman finds himself in the middle of an enormous drug ring and its complexities that extend to Breaking Bad and its characters like Walter White(Bryan Cranston), Jesse Pinkman(Aaron Paul), and Gus Fring(Giancarlo Esposito).
Bob Odenkirk on Hot Ones
On 23rd March 2023, Bob Odenkirk was invited to the Hot Ones to promote his new comedy-drama, Lucky Hank, and to try some of Sean Evan’s famous hot chicken wings. In the incredibly funny episode, while Odenkirk sniffles after every wing and answers some of Evans’ questions that reveal nothing but unapologetic honesty. Talking about Saul Goodman, Odenkirk said,
“[…]Very upsetting, very unnerving to play a guy… you know this goes to playing people who have serious, you know, issues. Which are the only kind of people they write, because that’s fun to watch.”
He then expresses how playing the character also helped him finally understand the internal dialogue of famed anti-heroes like co-star Bryan Cranston and the late Sopranos actor James Gandolfini alike.
“I would be like ‘Well come on, it’s acting. I mean, how… how hard can that be?,’ and then I got to do Saul, and I was like, ‘Oh this is f***ing hard,’ because you’re that guy for twelve hours a day, for years.”
Odenkirk also says how mentally challenging acting is and the toll it can play on an individual off-screen while the audience watches something completely different.
“That’s what acting is: sitting there going, ‘I feel this and like he feels that and I’m feeling this and I resent this and I want that and why do I want it? Because f*** that guy and f*** this person and I’m gonna get him back,’ and you know, and you’re just conjuring up those feelings. It’s exhausting!”
Read also: How Saul Goodman’s Character Arc Is the Opposite of Walter White’s
Although Bob Odenkirk did not fancy playing the complexities of Saul Goodman’s character, fans and critics are in awe of his talent and have coined Better Call Saul as one of the best shows to be made in recent times. Odenkirk also received his star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame right beside his co-star Bryan Cranston.
He now stars in his latest comedy-drama Lucky Hank, released on March 19th, 2023 streaming now on AMC.
Source: Hot Ones | YouTube
