Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk Says In His Career, He's Been Most Connected To Jimmy
Bob Odenkirk is a man of many faces as he's taken on roles from nearly every genre imaginable. He's a formidable action hero in the explosive blockbuster "Nobody," as well as the sarcastic and bitter Professor William Devereaux Jr. in the dark comedy "Lucky Hank." In the "Breaking Bad" universe, he brings Saul Goodman to life twice as the sleazy lawyer, first in his later years on the parent show, and then as the unlucky but aspiring Jimmy McGill on the prequel series "Better Call Saul." Throughout his impressive and diverse career, Odenkirk says he's felt more emotionally invested and connected with Jimmy above all his other performances.
It should come as no surprise that Bob Odenkirk feels such a deep connection to Jimmy McGill after playing the Emmy-nominated role for over six seasons. That experience builds off the masterful work Odenkirk brought to Saul Goodman in "Breaking Bad," who easily could've been an aggravating caricature in less capable hands. Because of Odenkirk's dramatic and comedic talents, Saul/Jimmy has depth and soul that resonates with viewers as a multifaceted character, who consistently struggles to make the right choices.
Though Odenkirk doesn't relate to Jimmy's ethical dilemmas, he revealed in a Reddit Ask Me Anything that it's through the complex and intricate writing that he finds his connection to the character. When a fan posed the question of which character he's most connected to, he prefaced by saying, "There's no question that would be Jimmy McGill even though he was vastly different than me in nearly every way and certainly in how he went about living." He continued by expressing how valuable the scripts are in achieving this unique relationship.
Bob Odenkirk enjoyed diving deep into Jimmy's complex character
Bob Odenkirk surprisingly disclosed that he auditioned for "Breaking Bad" without having seen a full episode. This extraordinary example showcases his astonishing ability to improvise and the way he naturally picked up the essence of Saul's character. Odenkirk nailed the role in an uncanny way, similar to what Jimmy McGill probably would've done, which set him apart from the rest. In his revealing AMA on Reddit, Odenkirk applauded the writing which allowed him to engrain himself deeply in the part, "the intensity and depth that he was written to just demanded that I dig in and connect on a deep level to his travails. I'd say it was worth it!"
The celebrated actor was definitely tested in Season 5 when the series took an intense turn into the dark criminal underworld. During that season, he endures harsh conditions in the Albuquerque desert as he hauls two enormous bags of cash for the dangerous Mexican cartel. This is a far cry from the smart-mouthed lawyer we meet in "Breaking Bad," and even farther from the ambitious hard worker we meet at the beginning of "Better Call Saul." After experiencing such a dramatic transformation that's so masterfully written, it's no surprise that Odenkirk connects to Jimmy McGill the most out of all his other characters.