For five years, the Breaking Bad cast entertained audiences with what was considered one of television’s most brilliant performances. Unsurprisingly, the show earned 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, including accolades from several other award associations. In 2013, Guinness World Records ranked Breaking Bad as the most critically acclaimed TV show of all time.
From January 20, 2008, to September 29, 2013, Breaking Bad developed a cult following that has stayed dedicated to the show to this day. The success of the AMC crime drama series birthed what was later recognized as the Breaking Bad franchise. Arguably, the Vince Gilligan-created show was a success because of its casting. Over a decade since its finale, here’s what the main cast members have been up to in their careers.
Bryan Cranston as Walter White
Before Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston had earned a reputation for working on comedy projects. Portraying Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned drug lord, proved his versatility and originality as an actor. Cranston’s portrayal of the character helped audiences appreciate Walter White’s journey from the antihero to the villain protagonist. Although he was already an established actor, leading the Breaking Bad cast gave him international recognition.
Since then, he has guest-starred, co-created, and produced several other TV shows. A few of his notable television projects after Breaking Bad include Sneaky Pete (2015–2019), All the Way (2016), and Your Honor (2020–2023). On the big screen, Bryan Cranston has starred in several big-budget films post-Breaking Bad. These include Godzilla (2014), Trumbo (2015), The Infiltrator (2016), and Wakefield (2016). Others include Power Rangers (2017), The Upside (2017), Asteroid City (2023), and Argylle (2024).
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
Breaking Bad was Aaron Paul’s career breakthrough role. Before the show, he was majorly cast in supporting roles as minor characters. However, portraying Jesse Pinkman, Walter White’s former high school student and drug cooking partner, showcased his talent. Breaking Bad’s showrunner had initially planned to kill off Jesse Pinkman’s character at the end of season 1. However, Aaron Paul’s performance not only convinced Vince Gilligan but turned Jesse Pinkman into an audience favorite.
Since Breaking Bad, Aaron Paul played Eddie Lane in The Path (2016–2018), Warren Cave in Truth Be Told (2019–2020), and Caleb Nichols in Westworld (2020–2022). Paul landed several lead roles in films thanks to the show’s success. A few notable mentions include Need for Speed (2014), A Long Way Down (2014), and the biblical epic film Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014). Others include Eye in the Sky (2015), Central Intelligence (2016), and Adam (2020). He has an upcoming science fiction thriller film, Ash, scheduled for release in March 2025.
Anna Gunn as Skyler White
Actress Anna Gunn joined the Breaking Bad cast as Skyler White in the first season. Introduced as a central character, Gunn’s Skyler White character is Walter White’s wife and mother of Walter White Jr. and Holly White. Skyler begins the series as a devoted wife and mother, unaware of Walter’s criminal activities.
After learning and becoming entangled in his illegal dealings, Skyler struggles with Walter’s actions’ moral and legal implications. No stranger to television, Anna Gunn has continued to work on the small and big screens. Post-Breaking Bad, she has starred in Gracepoint (2014) and Sugar (2024). In film, she starred in Equity (2016), Sully (2016), Being Frank (2018), Land of Dreams (2021), and The Apology (2022).
Dean Norris as Hank Schrader
Despite his demise in season 5, episode 14 (“Ozymandias”), Hank Schrader was a prominent character in Breaking Bad. Schrader was Walter White’s brother-in-law and a dedicated DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agent. Portrayed by Dean Norris, Hank Schrader was known for his brash personality, confidence, and dark sense of humor. Norris’s performance as Hank Schrader was critically acclaimed.
Having made his screen debut in 1985, Dean Morris has starred in numerous projects before his casting in Breaking Bad. Over the years, he’s earned a reputation for portraying law enforcement officers. Post-Breaking Bad, Norris has starred in Under the Dome (2013–2015), Claws (2017–2022), and United States of Al (2021–2022). His notable film credits since then include Men, Women & Children (2014), Secret in Their Eyes (2015), Beirut (2018), Death Wish (2018), and The Hustle (2019). In 2024, he starred in Unfrosted, Carry-On, and The Six Triple Eight.
Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman
Although joining the Breaking Bad cast in season 2, Bob Odenkirk’s character, Saul Goodman, quickly becomes one of the series’ iconic characters. Odenkirk portrayed Saul Goodman as a colorful and morally flexible criminal lawyer. Although born Jimmy McGill, Goodman adopts the name to appeal to his predominantly criminal clientele. Saul Goodman helped Walter White and Jesse Pinkman navigate the legal challenges that arose from their methamphetamine business.
Post-Breaking Bad, Saul Goodman had his spin-off show, Better Call Saul. Moving on from the franchise, Bob Odenkirk starred in Undone (2019–2022) and Lucky Hank (2023). Since then, his film credits include Boulevard (2014), The Post (2017), Long Shot (2019), and Little Women (2019). In 2021, Odenkirk played Hutch Mansell in the critical and commercial hit film Nobody. Odenkirk reprises his role in the 2025 sequel, Nobody 2.
Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut
Jonathan Banks also joined the Breaking Bad cast in season 2, portraying Mike Ehrmantraut. His character was a former police officer turned “fixer” and enforcer, working for Gus Fring. Banks’ character was initially created as a substitute character for Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman. However, creator and showrunner Vince Gilligan chose to keep Mike Ehrmantraut after a spectacular performance from Jonathan Banks. Mike Ehrmantraut was killed in season 5.
After Breaking Bad, Jonathan Banks played Professor Buzz Hickey in Community (2014), voiced several characters, and played Henry/Bud Caldera in Apple TV+’s Constellation (2024). On the big screen, Banks has starred in Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), Mudbound (2017), and The Commuter (2018). In 2022, he voiced Black Mask in the animated film Catwoman: Hunted.
Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo “Gus” Fring
Although introduced in Breaking Bad season 2, Gustavo “Gus” Fring became the primary antagonist in season 4. Portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, Gus was a highly intelligent, composed, and ruthless drug lord. He operated under the guise of a respectable businessman, being Los Pollos Hermanos’ owner. He used Los Pollos Hermanos, a chain of fast-food chicken restaurants, as a front for his massive drug empire. Esposito’s character is killed in the season 4’s finale (“Face Off”).
Since Breaking Bad, Giancarlo Esposito has stayed busy in film and television. He continued his role in Once Upon a Time (2011–2017) and Revolution (2012–2014). He also starred in Dear White People (2017–2019), The Mandalorian (2019–2023), Kaleidoscope (2023), and Parish (2024). He’s currently known for his roles in Godfather of Harlem, The Boys, and The Gentlemen. Also expanding his film credits, he has starred in the last two Maze Runner sequels, Money Monster (2016), Coda (2019), and Stargirl (2020). Giancarlo Esposito recently starred in Abigail (2024), Megalopolis (2024), and MaXXXine (2024). He’ll join the MCU in 2025, portraying Seth Voelker/Sidewinder in Captain America: Brave New World. Also, Esposito plays Colonel Marshall Bradbury in the Russo Brothers’ film The Electric State (2025).
RJ Mitte as Walter White Jr.
RJ Mitte joined the Breaking Bad cast as Walter White Jr. He’s Walter and Skyler White’s teenage son. The character has cerebral palsy, which affects his motor functions and speech. This aspect of his character was authentic, as RJ Mitte also has cerebral palsy in real life, albeit in a milder form. At certain points in the series, Walter White Jr. starts calling himself Flynn as an attempt to distance himself from his father when tensions escalate within their family.
After Breaking Bad, RJ Mitte’s two major television projects were on Starz’s 2019 comedy Now Apocalypse and portraying the Mind Master on Netflix’s The Guardians of Justice. Breaking Bad also gave Mitte’s career the needed exposure, which has landed him several roles ever since. His film credits include Who’s Driving Doug (2016), The Recall (2017), The Oak Room (2020), Triumph (2021), and The Unseen (2023).
Jesse Plemons as Todd Alquist
Jesse Plemons joined the Breaking Bad cast as Todd Alquist in season 5. He’s introduced as a seemingly polite and mild-mannered worker at Vamonos Pest, a fumigation company used as a front for Walter White and Jesse Pinkman’s meth operation. However, Rodd quickly revealed his chilling, sociopathic tendencies. He became deeply involved in Walter White’s drug empire and played a significant role in several major storylines. Todd Alquist’s character was further explored in the franchise film, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Jesse Plemons’ career profile has risen since Breaking Bad. Plemons played Ed Blumquist, alongside Kirsten Dunst (whom he later married in 2022), in FX’s Fargo. In 2023, he played Allan Gore in Love & Death alongside Elizabeth Olsen. In film, Jesse Plemons starred in Bridge of Spies (2015), Other People (2016), American Made (2017), Vice (2018), and Judas and the Black Messiah (2021). He recently starred in Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) and Kinds of Kindness (2024).
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