'Breaking Bad' premiered over 15 years ago today in 2008. Here's where Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and the rest of the cast ended up after leaving the hit AMC series behind.
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Where is the Breaking Bad cast now? See the actors over 15 years after AMC's hit series premiered
Much time has passed, but Walter will forever be known as "the one who knocks."
By
Matt Cabral
Published on January 20, 2025 08:00AM EST
1Comments
Photo:
Frank Ockenfels/AMC
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Breaking Bad.
We may have aged over a decade since Walter White's demise, but
Breaking Bad remains fresh in everyone’s minds. Fans still endlessly quote the
AMC series, proudly sport “Los Pollos Hermanos” T-shirts, and hold onto hope for a Badger and Skinny Pete spinoff.
Several main cast members rose to fame after starring in
Vince Gilligan’s crime classic, but that doesn’t mean they moved on entirely; many popped up within the same universe thanks to Gilligan’s equally acclaimed follow-up,
Better Call Saul (2015–2022).
Read on to learn what the
Breaking Bad cast has been up to since the series ended its five-season run in 2013.
01of 12
Bryan Cranston (Walter White)
Lewis Jacobs/AMC; Olivia Wong/WireImage
Acclaimed by critics, adored by fans, and awarded four Emmys,
Bryan Cranston’s portrayal of chemistry-teacher-turned-drug-kingpin Walter White is easily the actor’s signature role.
But it wasn’t his breakthrough. As
Malcolm in the Middle’s hilariously dopey, clueless dad Hal, Cranston was a household name long before donning Heisenberg’s pork pie hat. The oddball sitcom was his
first star-making turn, though by that point he had accrued nearly 100 credits — including a guest spot on
The X-Files (1998), where he met Gilligan, setting the stage for the role that changed his life a decade later.
With small parts in big films like
Saving Private Ryan (1998) and nostalgic favorites like
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993), he’d done it all before the sitcom’s casting directors came calling. And that’s before you account for his recurring stint as
Seinfeld’s re-gifting dentist, Tim Whatley.
Breaking Bad made him an in-demand big-screen presence. He booked key roles in
Drive (2011),
Contagion (2011),
Argo (2013), and
Godzilla (2014) before earning an Oscar nomination for
Trumbo (2015), playing legendary blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. He later took on a role originated by none other than
Jack Nicholson in
Last Flag Flying (2017), based on the sequel novel to
The Last Detail (1973), then partnered with
Wes Anderson for
Isle of Dogs (2018) and
Asteroid City (2023).
That only scratches the
surface of Cranston’s work. He’s a two-time Tony winner, first for playing LBJ in
All the Way and later for getting “
mad as hell” in
Network. He’s maintained TV cred, too, picking up a Golden Globe nomination for
Your Honor (2020–2023), playing a New Orleans judge who breaks bad, and donning various hats for Amazon’s crime caper
Sneaky Pete (2015–2019).
Cranston is married to actress Robin Dearden; they have a daughter, Taylor Dearden, who also acts. He has also remained close with Aaron Paul. The pair share commemorative
Breaking Bad tattoos and are co-founders of Dos Hombres, a mezcal company.
02of 12
Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman)
Cathy Kanavy/AMC; Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic
As the impulsive, street-smart, “b—-!”-spewing half of TV’s most beloved duo,
Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman went through hell. His toxic relationship with his former chemistry teacher led to kidnapping, torture, two dead girlfriends, and then some. The actor earned three Emmys for his performance.
Before his character helped perfect that blue meth recipe, Paul bounced around in
Van Wilder (2002),
Mission: Impossible III (2006),
Veronica Mars (2005), and
Criminal Minds (2005). Those supporting parts ballooned into a recurring gig on
Big Love (2007–2011), which led to his Albuquerque breakthrough.
More movie roles followed, including the remake of
The Last House on the Left (2009) and the addiction drama
Smashed (2012), opposite
Mary Elizabeth Winstead. He headlined the racing game adaptation
Need for Speed (2014) and booked supporting parts in
Ridley Scott’s
Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014),
Triple 9 (2016), and
Dual (2022).
Paul has found more success on the small screen, including
BoJack Horseman (2014–2020),
Westworld (2020–2022), and the 2023
Black Mirror episode “Beyond the Sea,” not to mention Jesse’s grand encore in the spinoff feature,
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019).
Paul’s adoration for the show extends to his costar Bryan Cranston. “
I love the man to death. He’s one of my best friends,” he told
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon in 2022 after announcing he asked his old screen partner to be his son’s godfather. The actor also has a daughter with actress Lauren Parsekian, his wife since 2013.
03of 12
Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman)
Ben Leuner/AMC; Monica Schipper/Getty
Bob Odenkirk’s morally bankrupt, endlessly charming con man/lawyer Saul Goodman became so popular that he got his own show. Longtime fans weren’t surprised by Odenkirk’s success — they’d been watching him steal scenes for his entire career.
The comedy veteran wrote and performed on
Saturday Night Live, The Ben Stiller Show, The Dennis Miller Show, and
Late Night With Conan O’Brien. He turned his talk/sketch series experience into a recurring role on
The Larry Sanders Show (1993–1998), where he played the hilariously sleazy Hollywood agent Stevie Grant.
He parlayed the character’s popularity into the cult-favorite sketch series
Mr. Show With Bob and David (1995–1998), which he co-created with
David Cross. Odenkirk continued to showcase his comedic chops in sitcoms like
Seinfeld (1996)
, NewsRadio (1997–1998)
, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), and
Arrested Development (2003) — regularly appearing alongside Cross.
Those appearances barely scratch his career’s surface. He had a recurring part on
How I Met Your Mother (2008–2012), a regular role in
Fargo’s first season (2014), and toplined AMC’s short-lived series
Lucky Hank (2023).
He scored his own action vehicle as a suburban dad with a secret assassin past in
Nobody (2021), delivered the iconic title line in
Greta Gerwig’s
Little Women (2019), and landed key supporting roles in
Nebraska (2013),
The Post (2017), and
Incredibles 2 (2018). The veteran actor has even gone behind the camera, directing the scrappy indie
Melvin Goes to Dinner (2003) and oddball comedies
Let’s Go to Prison (2006) and
The Brothers Solomon (2007).
Odenkirk has been married to
Naomi Yomtov since 1997. The actor, who shares a son and daughter with Yomtov, suffered a
heart attack while filming
Better Call Saul’s final season but has
made a recovery.
04of 12
Anna Gunn (Skyler White)
Ursula Coyote/AMC; Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Early on,
Anna Gunn’s Skyler White is a loving wife and mother, with a teen son and a baby daughter on the way. But her suburban life soon spirals, sending her on an emotional and eventually criminal rollercoaster.
During the peak of the show’s popularity, Gunn took unusual, even disturbing flak from fans over her character’s role. But as she expressed
to EW in 2018, she harbors no regrets over a role that ultimately scored her two Emmys: “It was transformative and incredible.”
Though playing
Breaking Bad’s perpetually put-upon matriarch landed Gunn on the mainstream map, the actress had already garnered attention for meaty roles in
The Practice and
Deadwood (2004–2006) — the latter as
Timothy Olyphant’s onscreen wife. Long before that, she was a primary cast member on the sitcom
Down on the Shore (1992–1993)
. Between those substantial credits, she also appeared in everything from
ER and
NYPD Blue to
Seinfeld and
Six Feet Under.
Gunn has continued to work steadily since
Breaking Bad wrapped, as a regular in crime dramas
Gracepoint (2014) and
Shades of Blue (2017) and in a key recurring role in AppleTV’s detective series
Sugar (2024–present), starring
Colin Farrell.
Gunn shares two daughters with her ex-husband, actor Alastair Duncan.
05of 12
Dean Norris (Hank Schrader)
Carin Baer/AMC; Jeff Schear/Getty
As devoted family man and gung-ho DEA agent Hank Schrader,
Dean Norris carried one of the show’s most absorbing and tragic arcs. Alongside his partner Steve Gomez (Steven Michael Quezada), he doggedly pursued “Heisenberg” before discovering the kingpin was his unassuming brother-in-law, a revelation that ultimately led to Gomez’s death.
Long before he wore a badge in
Breaking Bad, Norris played cops, detectives, sergeants, and special agents in popular series (
The Practice,
Six Feet Under,
Medium) and hit movies
(Lethal Weapon 2,
Terminator 2: Judgment Day). On top of dozens of supporting roles, Norris had several starring turns in shows like
Under the Dome (2013–2015) and
Claws (2017–2022).
The actor briefly donned Hank’s Kevlar vest again in
Better Call Saul. As he told EW in 2020, bringing him back to play a younger version of Hank
took some convincing: “Just don’t let it be a gratuitous return, just to say he’s in it,” he told co-creator
Peter Gould before signing on.
Since reprising his most famous role, Norris has continued to fill up his résumé, popping up in
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2024),
Jerry Seinfeld’s
Unfrosted (2024), and the recent Christmas thriller
Carry-On (2024).
The married father of five keeps also busy off-screen, having helped launch craft beer Schraderbrau, based on Hank’s homebrew.
06of 12
Betsy Brandt (Marie Schrader)
AMC; Elyse Jankowski/Variety via Getty
Betsy Brandt played Hank's devoted wife, Marie. She was also Skyler's sister, which meant her brother-in-law was indirectly responsible for her husband's murder. Before costarring in the hit series, Brandt was an established character actor, having popped up in everything from
Judging Amy and
JAG to
ER and
Boston Legal.
Following
Breaking Bad’s conclusion, Brandt scored major roles in
The Michael J. Fox Show (2013–2014) and
Life in Pieces (2015–2019) in addition to arcs on
Parenthood (2012–2014) and
Masters of Sex (2014).
In EW’s 2018 reunion interview,
she confessed she still hasn’t watched Hank’s death scene — and even experienced a bit of denial when she discovered his fate in the script: “If I don’t read it, does that mean it won’t happen?” Later, in
Better Call Saul’s finale, Brandt reunited with a few
Breaking Bad castmates while her character got some closure.
Brandt shares two children with Grady Olsen. The two were married in 1998 and
split in late 2024.
07of 12
Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring)
Ursula Coyote/AMC; Robert Okine/Getty
Gustavo Fring has gone down as one of television's greatest villains, so it’s easy to forget he was only a main character during two of
Breaking Bad’s five seasons. As chicken joint owner, Walt’s rival/partner, and eventual victim,
Giancarlo Esposito stole more than his share of scenes.
Thankfully, we got to spend more time with the calm, cold-blooded mastermind in
Better Call Saul. But while some fans didn’t discover Esposito until
Breaking Bad, the actor was already well-established. By the time he played Buggin’ Out in
Spike Lee’s
Do the Right Thing (1989), he had a decade of work under his belt.
In addition to a handful of Lee’s early films, Esposito earned cinephile cred with
King of New York (1990),
Night on Earth (1991), and
The Usual Suspects (1995), then landed a regular role in the final season of
Homicide: Life on the Street (1998–1999). He played
Muhammad Ali’s father in
Ali (2001) and maintained a ubiquitous presence on the small screen for years. But it was his ruthless turn as Fring that turned him into one of the industry’s go-to guys.
Since half his face fell off at the end of season 4, he’s played villains in
Revolution (2012–2014),
The Mandalorian (2019–2023), and
The Boys (2019–present). When he’s not playing baddies, he’s bringing his A-game as extreme badasses, like the vengeance-seeking family man in
Parish (2024).
While Esposito seems right at home playing either the heavy or morally compromised hero, the father of four daughters draws on outside inspiration for his darker roles. As
he told Entertainment Weekly in 2018, he turned to TV’s most famous mafioso to shape his characterization of Fring: “I thought of the majority of mobster movies and also
James Gandolfini’s performance in
The Sopranos — a very volatile, very powerful guy but obviously a little more colorful of a mobster than we’ve seen.”
These days, Esposito has a perpetually full plate. After appearing in
Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious epic
Megalopolis (2024), the hard-working actor officially joins the MCU this year in
Captain America: Brave New World (2025).
08of 12
Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut)
Ursula Coyote/AMC; Gregg DeGuire/Getty
Calling Mike Ehrmantraut a supporting character doesn't do the meticulous, tough-as-nails fixer justice. A huge presence on both
Breaking Bad and
Better Call Saul,
Jonathan Banks’ bald badass is as recognizable — and beloved — as any series regular.
Many viewers were shocked when the perpetually scowling antihero met an untimely demise in the final season. But as
Banks told EW in 2012, he was less surprised by Mike’s blood-soaked fate: “I always knew. I always thought, ‘Mike’s a bad guy. Mike’s gonna die.’ So did it come as a surprise? Not at all.”
That goes double for the actor, who’s been racking up credits for nearly 50 years. Banks worked regularly throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, often playing a tough cop, or tougher criminal, in hits like
48 Hours (1982) and
Beverly Hills Cop (1984). His big break came on TV when he was cast in
Wiseguy (1987–1990).
Banks has hardly come up for air since, appearing in several every television series — not to mention dozens of films — for decades. On top of
Dexter (2007),
Parks and Recreation (2012), and
Modern Family (2011), he’s recurred or costarred in everything from
Falcon Crest (1987) to
Community (2014). His most recent project, AppleTV’s sci-fi series
Constellation (2024), was canceled after one season.
In 1990, Banks wed Gennera Gonzalez Cebian, with whom he shares twins and a stepdaughter. He also has a daughter from his previous marriage to Marnie Fausch.
09of 12
RJ Mitte (Walter White Jr.)
Doug Hyun/AMC; Paul Archuleta/Getty
There’s no shortage of tragedy in
Breaking Bad’s five seasons, but one of the most emotionally effective story arcs is Walter’s gradual estrangement from his teenage son Walt Jr. Actor
RJ Mitte’s nuanced performance deserves a lot of the credit, as his character goes from adoring his dad to wishing him dead.
Mitte has continued to act since breaking out as Walt Jr., most recently playing the villain Mind Master in Netflix’s adult-aimed superhero satire
The Guardians of Justice (2022).
The actor — who told EW in 2018 he once hoped his character would get “
a good death scene” — is a celebrity ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy. The nonprofit organization advocates for those with the disability, which Mitte was diagnosed with at age 3.
Mitte has been with his girlfriend
Kennedy Blaire since 2022.
10of 12
Jesse Plemons (Todd Alquist)
Ursula Coyote/AMC; Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage
Jesse Plemons played the polite, respectful, child-killing Todd. When Todd first appeared, Plemons’ ascension was just beginning, with
Friday Night Lights (2006–2011) serving as his launchpad.
The baby-faced actor was one of
Philip Seymour Hoffman’s sons in
Paul Thomas Anderson’s
The Master (2012) and delivered an Emmy-nominated performance in season 2 of
Fargo (2015), playing a husband who goes to extremes to help his wife (
Kirsten Dunst) cover up a murder.
In addition to playing one of
Black Mirror’s more sadistic antagonists (“USS Callister”), Plemons has become one of cinema’s most sought-after actors, having appeared in seven Best Picture nominees. He stole scenes in
Game Night (2018), teamed up with
Tom Cruise for
American Made (2017), and
returned as Todd in
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019).
On the heels of his acclaimed performance in
Charlie Kaufman’s surreal film
I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020), Plemons played two very different antagonists in
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) and
Jungle Cruise (2021). The same year, he and his wife, Dunst, earned their first Oscar nominations for
Jane Campion’s
The Power of the Dog (2021). He’s since found a place at
Martin Scorsese’s table, with key roles in
The Irishman (2019) and
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).
Plemons had an unforgettable cameo as a gun-toting militia baddie in
Alex Garland’s
Civil War (2024) and won Best Actor at Cannes for
Yorgos Lanthimos’
Kinds of Kindness (2024). The actor will re-team with the Greek auteur and
Emma Stone for
Bugonia.
11of 12
Krysten Ritter (Jane Margolis)
Lewis Jacobs/AMC; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Breaking Bad is full of shocking moments, but Jane’s demise — with Walt choosing to watch and do nothing as she choked to death — was particularly wrenching.
That twist meant the talented
Krysten Ritter would no longer be part of the series, even if her character’s tragic end continued to shape its story.
Speaking to PeopleTV in 2021, she was blunt about the lasting impact of filming that death scene: “It was intense, and I will never forget it.”
Her short-lived run as Jesse’s love interest and landlord led to bigger roles, including starring turns in
Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23 (2012–2013) and
Jessica Jones (2015–2019)
. Ritter returned as Jane for a flashback in
El Camino and recently appeared in
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024).
Long before those parts started piling up, Ritter had established herself as an actor. By the time
Breaking Bad came along, she had appeared in a string of romantic comedies — including
27 Dresses (2008), What Happens in Vegas (2008)
, and
She’s Out of My League (2010) — and booked numerous small-screen appearances (
Law & Order,
Veronica Mars,
Gilmore Girls).
Ritter shares a son with her ex-boyfriend, War on Drugs frontman Adam Granduciel
.
12of 12
Mark Margolis (Hector Salamanca)
Ursula Coyote/AMC/Courtesy Everett; Tasos Katopodis/Getty
Despite being confined to a wheelchair and relying on a bell to communicate, Hector Salamanca was one of
Breaking Bad’s most fearsome characters.
Mark Margolis had built a massive, decades-long résumé long before his iconic baddie became the target of Gus Fring’s vengeance-seeking side project. The prolific character actor primarily had supporting roles in movies like
Scarface (1983)
, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
, Gone Baby Gone (2007), and most of director
Darren Aronofsky’s work.
Margolis was equally busy on TV, where his nearly 50 credits included single-episode appearances (
Quantum Leap, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sex and the City) and plenty of regular and recurring parts (
Santa Barbara,
Oz, and
The Equalizer).
The actor,
who died in 2023 at age 83, didn’t slow down during (or after) his run in the Southwestern gangland.
The Blacklist,
Snowpiercer, and
Your Honor, which reunited him with Cranston, were among his final performances.
