Bob Odenkirk reveals heart attack occurred while filming ‘Better Call Saul’
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Credit: Michele K.Short / Netflix
Bob Odenkirk explains why he loves Built to Spill
There are many reasons to love Bob Odenkirk. An actor, comedian and filmmaker, he is one of the most consistent A-listers in Hollywood and has committed himself to a range of lauded projects in a career that continues to excel. His most notable role is undoubtedly the loveable but hapless lawyer Saul Goodman in AMC’s hit series Breaking Bad as well as its equally as acclaimed and arguably better spin-off Better Call Saul.
Rightly, the Illinois native received widespread praise for his role, which expertly balanced the dramatic and the comedic, establishing himself and his character among the most essential of the modern era. A Shakespearean character in every sense, the multifaceted nature of Saul Goodman has meant that fans of both shows are unable to separate the actor from part, an indication of just how brilliant and convincing he is.
During an interview with Deadline after the finale of Better Call Saul, Odenkirk revealed that he is so attached to Goodman that he has struggled to say goodbye after 13 long years of playing him. “I’m gonna feel that when I see the last episode in six weeks. In a weird way, the story and the character are still alive in me,” he told the publication.
Adding: “We’ve had so many years of shooting this guy and I’ve been playing him for 12 years. Some part of my brain is thinking, ‘When do I go back?’ [laughs] I think when I see the finale and I know what happens, I’ll feel like he’s set and I won’t be him again. Until then I’m waiting to play him again. [laughs] It’s weird, but I can’t put him to rest until I see the ending and maybe not even then.”
Aside from his work in the eminent neo-Westerns, Odenkirk has had a fine career that has seen him write for Saturday Night Live and The Ben Stiller Show, appear alongside friend and comedian David Cross in Mr. Show with Bob and David as well as feature in other lauded titles such as Fargo, The Post, Little Women. He even shocked us in 2021 as the protagonist in the uber-violent action film Nobody, a film that really surprised everybody as it went against everything that Odenkirk had done before.
Outside of the world of television and film, Odenkirk is also an avid fan of music, and recently he delivered yet another reason for us to love him. Appearing in a short video posted to record label Sub Pop’s official Twitter in July, he revealed that he is a longtime lover of Boise, Idaho’s premier alt-rock legends Built to Spill.
Odenkirk disclosed that he is eagerly awaiting their long-awaited new album, When The Wind Forgets Your Name, and took a trip down memory lane to the first time he saw them live, which cemented them as one of his all-time favourites.
Explaining his love for the ‘Carry the Zero’ band, the actor said: “Bob Odenkirk here. 1995, I’m in Paris and it’s a concert at Le Bataclan, a now infamous venue. At the time, it was the Foo Fighters as headliners and Built to Spill opening for them, and Built to Spill blew ‘em off the stage as far as I’m concerned. Lots of intense feeling in their songs, lots of mucky emotion, challenging situations, I love that, I love that in a pop song. So, Built to Spill is one of my favourites, always has been, and I’m excited about their new album.”
