Bob Odenkirk On How An Emmy-Winning Writing Career Morphed Into ‘Better Call Saul’ – The Actor’s Side

Bob Odenkirk, star of AMC’s Better Call Saul, joined me for a taping of my Deadline series The Actor’s Side, which explores the craft of acting with top talent. Actually, as I point out right in the beginning of our conversation, Odenkirk didn’t set out to be an actor at all, but instead was smitten at a young age with comedy writing. That was something he parlayed into a writing gig on Saturday Night Live, which as he explains was a late-night show where he never really felt like a top-drawer contributor, but indeed was part of an Emmy-winning staff. From SNL, he segued to co-creating and performing on HBO’s cult hit Mr. Show with David Cross.

We discuss all of this, and his deep background in sketch comedy, before diving into more serious acting roles — particularly as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad which has now led to his successful stint in the prequel to that show, AMC/Sony TV’s Better Call Saul. Those two shows have made Odenkirk an internationally known star, and even he is continually surprised to be recognized around the globe. He’s been nominated for 11 Emmys — four as producer and lead comedy actor on Better Call Saul — and he’s won two as a writer on SNL (1989, outstanding writing for a variety/music program) and The Ben Stiller Show (1993, outstanding writing for a variety/music program).

Check out our conversation above.