We have all said his name, and are equally guilty of wanting to taste those blue crystals created out of his scientific brilliance. If you have not caught up yet, I am talking about Walter White aka Heisenberg who took over our hearts and minds with the acting brilliance of Bryan Cranston along with his not-the-brightest-bulb partner, Jesse Pinkman played by Aaron Paul. Breaking Bad is one of the most loved TV shows that has ever been created. It has been a while since it concluded, why not take a look at where the cast of Breaking Bad is right now?
1. Bryan Cranston as Walter White
If not the most, Bryan Cranston takes up one of the most iconic television roles we have ever seen. He appears as the protagonist of Breaking Bad, Walter White AKA Heisenberg. Even though this has been Bryan’s most iconic role, he rose to popularity after appearing in the beloved Sitcom, Malcolm in The Middle.
Following the success of Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston bagged multiple significant roles in movies like Contagion (2011), Drive (2011), and Argo (2013). He also earned an Oscar nomination for portraying blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in Trumbo (2015). He has been a part of super successful movies after Breaking Bad. Bryan Cranston also bagged a Golden Globe nomination for his work in Your Honor (2020–2023).
Even after the conclusion of Breaking Bad in 2013, Bryan maintains a solid friendship with his co-star Aaron Paul and is also the Godfather of Aaron’s son.
2. Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
Walter White’s former student and his literal partner-in-crime, Aaron Paul appears in the cast of Breaking Bad as Jesse Pinkman. Before appearing in the beloved show, Aaron Paul played several side roles in movies like Van Wilder (2002) and Mission Impossible 3 (2006). Even before appearing in Breaking Bad, Aaron was a recognizable face but his true breakout came alongside Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad.
After the show’s conclusion, Aaron Paul appeared as the leading man in Need For Speed (2014), however, the movie was not quite successful. After this, Aaron appeared as a supporting character in multiple high-stakes projects like Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), Triple 9 (2016), and Dual (2022). Aaron Paul returned to the character of Jesse Pinkman in 2019 with El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and gave us a much-needed conclusion to Jesse’s story. Most recently, Aaron voiced the character of Powerplex in Invincible Season 3, which was highly appreciated by the fans.
3. Krysten Ritter as Jane Margolis
Krysten Ritter appears in Breaking Bad as Jane Margolis, she was the love interest of Jesse and also his landlord. Even though the couple was much beloved by the fanbase of Breaking Bad, Jane’s death came as a massive shock to the fans. It was one of the most tragic moments in Breaking Bad.
Before taking up her greatest television role in Breaking Bad, she had appeared in Law & Order(1990), Veronica Mars(2004), and Gilmore Girls(2000).
After her demise in Breaking Bad, Krysten Ritter appeared in larger roles in shows like Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23 (2012–2013) and also stepped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Jessica Jones (2015–2019). Krysten took up the role of Jane once again in a flashback sequence featured in El Camino and most recently, she appeared in Sonic The Hedgehog 3 as Director Rockwell.
4. Anna Gunn as Skyler White
Anna Gunn appeared in Breaking Bad’s cast as Skyler White and as far as I think, she is one of the most hated characters ever seen on television. For playing Skyler, Anna also received a lot of hatred from fans across the globe but she has expressed no ill feelings for playing Skyler as the role landed her two Emmy Awards.
After the conclusion of Breaking Bad, Anna Gunn bagged a regular role in Gracepoint (2014) and Shades of Blue (2017). Most recently, Anna Gunn bagged a major role alongside Colin Farrell in Sugar (2024) released on Apple TV+.
5. Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman
If the lawyer-ing skills of Harvey Spector make you think being a man of law is cool, watching Saul Goodman in action is going to make you straight up enroll yourself in a Law course. In simple terms, Saul Goodman walked so Harvey Spector could run. Bob Odenkirk takes up the role of Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad, a cunning lawyer who is also somewhat of a conman.
However, Bob Odenkirk has been a widely popular name when it comes to comedy and has multiple shows like Saturday Night Live, The Ben Stiller Show, The Dennis Miller Show, and Late Night With Conan O’Brien under his credit.
After appearing in Breaking Bad, his character gained such widespread popularity that he landed his show Better Call Saul which naturally turned out to be a massive success. Odenkirk also had a recurring role in How I Met Your Mother as well as in Fargo (2023). After appearing in live-action for most of his career, he joined the cast of Incredibles 2 (2018) as the voice of Winston Deavor. He also has credits for movies like Nebraska (2013), The Post (2017), and Little Women (2019), and most recently, he appeared in an action-packed leading role in Nobody (2021). Currently, Bob Odenkirk is working on Nobody 2.
6. Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring
Even though Gustavo “Gus” Fring appears in Breaking Bad for just 2 seasons, he is one of the most loved villains that have ever graced our screens. Giancarlo Esposito rose to major fame after being cast in Breaking Bad but even before this role, he had a pretty full career in Hollywood with movies like King of New York (1990), Night on Earth (1991), and The Usual Suspects (1995). He also appeared as a regular in the final season of Homicide: Life on the Street (1998–1999) and then in 2001, he appeared in Ali as Muhammad Ali’s father.
After the death of his character in season 4 of Breaking Bad, he took up a villainous role in Revolution (2012–2014), The Mandalorian (2019–2023), and The Boys (2019–present). He also appeared in Parish (2024) in an action-packed read role. Most recently, Giancarlo Esposito has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the role of Sidewinder making his debut with Captain America Brave New World (2025).
7. Dean Norris as Hank Schrader
Dean Norris brought us one of the most tragic arcs seen in Breaking Bad with his character of Hank Schrader. He appears as a DEA agent who is hell-bent on bringing in “Heisenberg” and putting a stop to his rapidly escalating drug empire. However, what he doesn’t know is that his brother-in-law, Walter White, is the one he is chasing. When he finds out the identity of Heisenberg, it leads to the tragic death of Hank as well as his partner Steve Gomez.
Before appearing in Breaking Bad, Dean Norris had played law enforcement officers, military men, and everything else that falls into that spectrum in movies like Lethal Weapon 2 and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. He had also appeared in shows like The Practice, Six Feet Under, and Medium. In 2020, Dean Norris returned as Hank in Better Call Saul, and following his reappearance he played roles in projects like Curb Your Enthusiasm (2024), Unfrosted (2024), and most recently appeared in Carry-On (2024).
8. Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader
Betsy Brandt appeared as Marie Schrader, Hank’s wife and Skyler’s sister in the cast of Breaking Bad. While Hank saw one of the most traumatic arcs in the show, Marie was the one who faced the repercussions of Hank’s death. Before appearing on Breaking Bad, Betsy Brandt had become a known actor for appearing in popular shows like ER and Boston Legal.
After Breaking Bad reached its conclusion, Betsy Brandt bagged major roles in The Michael J. Fox Show (2013–2014) and Life in Pieces (2015–2019). Moreover, she also had recurring appearances on Parenthood (2012–2014) and Masters of Sex (2014).
9. RJ Mitte as Walter White Jr.
Appearing in the cast of Breaking Bad was RJ Mitte’s breakout role where he appeared as Walter White Jr. aka Flynn, the son of Walter White. His character saw a rather sad arc where he transitioned from being a loving son to his dad to wishing death upon his father. He appeared in several movies after his breakout role in Breaking Bad like The Recall (2017), Standing Up For Sunny (2019), The Oak Room (2020), and Triumph (2021). Most recently, he appeared in Netflix’s The Guardians of Justice (2022).
10. Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut
Jonathan Banks appeared in Breaking Bad as Mike Ehrmantraut. He was a gripping presence in Breaking Bad and also made his presence felt in Better Call Saul. Even though Mike died in the final season of Breaking Bad, his character is easily one of the most adored ones seen on television in a very long time.
As far as I know, Jonathan Banks does not need an introduction for the massive amount of credits he has under his belt. Banks have been at it since the 70’s and 80’s appearing in blockbuster movies like 48 Hours (1982) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984). However, he got his knack for television after appearing in Wiseguy (1987–1990) and since then, has appeared in some of the most highly acclaimed TV shows like Dexter (2007), Parks and Recreation (2012), and Modern Family (2011). Most recently, he appeared in Apple TV+’s sci-fi show Constellation (2024), however, the show was canceled after just one season.
11. Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca
Mark Margolis appeared in Breaking Bad’s cast as Hector Salamanca and even though he was disabled and communicated only through a bell, he was one of the most fearsome characters in the series. Even before appearing in Breaking Bad, he had a massive career in Hollywood.
He has appeared in supporting roles in movies like Scarface (1983), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), and Gone Baby Gone (2007) and has had recurring appearances in The Equalizer franchise. Mark Margolis appeared in shows like Snowpiercer, The Blacklist, and Your Honor before his demise in 2023 at the age of 83.
Sanmay Chakrabarti
