The Unexpected Way Aaron Paul Prepped To Nail His Breaking Bad Role
Actor Aaron Paul starred in "Breaking Bad" — the acclaimed AMC drama created by Vince Gilligan — for the show's full five-season run from 2008 to 2013. The series follows high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who turns to meth-making as a way to provide for his family following a cancer diagnosis. Without any knowledge of how to break into the drug dealing scene, Walt turns to his former student, Jesse Pinkman, played by Paul.
Paul received heaps of critical acclaim for his role as Jesse including five Primetime Emmy nominations, three of which he won. He also became a favorite among the many fans who adored the character. All in all, it's clear that Paul gave a lauded performance as Jesse, who deals with struggles such as drug addiction, loss of loved ones, and more.
So, how did Paul prepare to portray a character as difficult as Jesse? Over the years, Paul has explained the levels of devotion required for the role, including one particularly unexpected way he prepared to tackle the part.
Paul met with addicts to prepare for the role
As "Breaking Bad" fans know, Jesse struggles with his own drug addiction throughout the entirety of the series, going back and forth between using and trying to quit. Thus, there are quite a few scenes in which Aaron Paul had to portray a character who was either currently high or experiencing symptoms of withdrawal. In a Reddit Ask Me Anything discussion just prior to the series finale of "Breaking Bad," Paul revealed how he prepared for these scenes.
In one reply to the Reddit thread, a "Breaking Bad" fan and self-professed "chronic former meth user" complimented Paul's acting in the series, specifically in regards to Jesse's drug use. "I relate to the show in a somewhat different way," u/cxg_abq said. "Did you actually hang around any meth users to prepare for your role as Jesse? Some of the acting was spot on."
Paul wrote, "First of all, good for you for stopping. Secondly, yes I spent a lot of time with former addicts and people that were using at that moment. I wanted to try and bring as much honesty to this character as I could and I saw a darker side to people that I've never witnessed before. Meth is a terrible drug, as you know, and has the ability to grab a hold of you tightly. So seriously, good for you."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Paul worked hard to make sure his portrayal wasn't cliche
In 2011, while "Breaking Bad" was airing, Paul spoke with Complex about the series — including how he approached playing a drug addict. Paul spoke specifically about the drug use in Season 2, when Jesse tries heroin for the first time with his girlfriend, Jane (Krysten Ritter). More than anything, Paul relied on research.
The actor explained, "Like the first time Jesse was using heroin, I couldn't track anything down of someone using heroin for the first time, but I definitely found some stuff on YouTube of people literally shooting up heroin and what it did to them, what it did to their speech pattern and how it kind of slowed their voice down and how they just started nodding off." Additionally, he revealed that he turned to other television shows, such as A&E reality series "Intervention" to explore how drug addiction affects the friends and family members of the user.
Paul also drew on personal experiences with friends who previously struggled with their own addictions. Paul described them as becoming vacant and having their souls taken away from the drug use. "At a certain point I could tell they had some sort of control over the drug, but they went to this like, tilting point, where the drug completely had control over them," Paul said. "I think that's where Jesse [is at a] certain point in the second season with the whole heroin addiction."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).