It’s a big month for accomplished actor and writer Bob Odenkirk. On April 18, the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul will premiere, the culmination of playing the titular lawyer with an acclaimed performance for over a decade on two different shows. That same day, Odenkirk will also be honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, appropriately placed right next to that of his Breaking Bad co-star, Bryan Cranston.
For his role as Jimmy McGill, (aka Saul Goodman, aka Kevin Costner, aka Gene Takavic), Odenkirk has been nominated for an Emmy 13 times. Previously winning Emmy Awards for his comedy work, the actor is also known for writing for Saturday Night live and co-starring with David Cross on Mr. Show with Bob and David. Though Odenkirk presumed he’d always stay in comedy, he got the role of a lifetime in a series known for drama when the offer to play a smarmy lawyer in Breaking Bad came along. Speaking about Odenkirk getting his Walk of Fame star next to his own, here’s what Cranston told Variety:
"Primarily, it’s to share the rent and expenses of the cleanup, and I hope he’s a good roommate because we’re gonna have problems if he doesn’t hold up his end of the sidewalk.”
Odenkirk also told Variety how much he’s come to enjoy playing Saul Goodman, really taking a shine to the role, especially by the end. Odenkirk is happy to pursue other projects with this role behind him, but he still makes it clear he was not “running” from the character, always having a fond appreciation for how playing Jimmy McGill allowed him to delve just as heavily into drama as well as comedy, all as the same person (who often pretended to be other people).
“I’m not running from the guy. I think sometimes people do that. I think one of the reasons I’m not running away from him is the way he was scripted by Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould and all the writers. I got to do comedy on one page and four pages later, do the most earnest drama written. It was this great mix with unbelievable dynamics to it, so it’s a hard thing to imagine another part being that wide-ranging."
Bob Odenkirk is Happy With How Saul Goodman's Story Ends
Throughout six seasons, we have seen a lot of character growth for Jimmy McGill, following his rise from rookie attorney to the notorious Saul Goodman, personal lawyer of the country’s most infamous meth kingpin. This made it easy for Odenkirk to get attached to the character, and the actor feels that it ultimately concludes with a satisfying conclusion to Saul’s overall story arc.
“Because he grew, that made it easier to play him over time. I think if you’d asked me in the third or fourth season, I would have said, ‘Yeah, I can’t wait to be past this guy.' But he had this arcing in growth, especially toward the end. He does wriggle away to another place that’s, I think, a bit more mature, even if it is tragic.”
The final season of Better Call Saul premieres on April 18 on AMC. Odenkirk will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on that day as well at 11:30 a.m. PST at 1725 Vine St.