Photo: NME
Bob Odenkirk suffered a heart attack on Better Call Saul’s set – that’s kind of common public knowledge.
And the public has also been informed of how he splendidly recovered and came back to filming only five weeks after to complete the finale of AMC’s Breaking Bad prequel, which he anchors.
Last week, the comedian disclosed that it was the season’s ninth episode, “Fun and Games,” in which he had a heart attack.
However, to recent revelations, that’s not exactly accurate – and Odenkirk wants to retract and correct his statement. The incident happened during the shooting of episode 8, “Point and Shoot.”
Odenkirk was filming an important scene in Jimmy’s apartment – Lalo (Tony Dalton) drops his plans for Jimmy and Kim (Rhea Seehorn).
When Odenkirk left “Point and Shoot,” he started filming “Fun And Games,” which is why the actor said he was confused.
“Episode 9 is all stuff we shot after my heart attack, and in fact, it is the first stuff I shot,” he said in an interview with EW.
“The pick-up scenes [from episode 8] were not the first things we shot. So, in my brain, I was like, ‘Wait a second, the first things I shot when I came back from the heart attack was [episode] 9. And that’s true. Where I screwed up was like: ‘Of course, we didn’t come back and immediately just shoot what we’re shooting that day – we carried on shooting.’
“We had a different director. We had Michael Morris directing. We started in on that stuff. And then at some point in shooting that stuff, we stopped, Vince [Gilligan, co-creator of Better Call Saul who directed “Point and Shoot”] came back, and we picked up the final moments of the scene with me and Lalo and Kim. My brain just had a brain fart, and I apologize to the world.”
He adds: “But if you’re looking to compare a human being pre- and post-heart attack,” he laughs, “you’ll want to look at the scene with Kim and Jimmy when Lalo was talking to them about the plan.”
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A Close Call has Advantages
Odenkirk believes that his narrow escape from death can serve as an inspiration for others.
“I’ll just say for the hundredth time – but I’ll say it 500 more times in my life – it’s so nice that everyone cares so much,” he says while laughing.
“I thank people for caring about it, and if any good can come of it, it can be other 50-plus-year-old people getting in to see their doctor and maybe getting a double check on their heart.”
Gilligan mentioned the Odenkirk incident during the filming of “Point and Shoot” in last week’s Better Call Saul Insider Podcast episode.
“We watched him die. I’d never seen anything like it, except for in a movie,” stated Gilligan. “When we got back on set with Bob, it was just happiness; it was just thankfulness, it was just gratitude.”
The co-creator and filmmaker had only completed directing Odenkirk’s conversation ahead of the heart attack. They returned two months later, after recovering from his illness, in order to shoot Dalton’s side.
“It was just so good to see Bob there,” stated Dalton.
“We all saw him on the floor [after the heart attack], and it was like, ‘Oh my God, dude.’ Forget about the show. This is the worst thing that could ever happen to somebody,” he laughs. “That’s what happens when you mess with Lalo.”
When an event occurs, it can spark a new outlook on life
When asked about his comeback after the incident, Odenkirk said that he always thinks “about what matters to me.”
“The impact of the incident with my heart is something that’s resonated and continues to in my life. Like today. Like through time. I think about it all the time. I think about what matters to me and how to live my life and make the most of it and value each day the most,” Odenkirk revealed.
“But the crew and the cast were really devasted by the incident because they were very present consciously, and I was not. So, for me to come back, they were extremely sensitive. Everyone was very emotional and sweet and kind – and a little too concerned,” Odenkirk laughs.
“Very worried about everything that I did… It was kind of funny and sweet and touching. And you could see it in everyone’s eyes. They were all looking at me like, ‘Is he really okay? Is he going to be all right?’ And the truth was, I was still recuperating. My stamina came back a little more every week.”
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