“They were screaming”: Bob Odenkirk reflects on heart attack five years after on-set health scare 

Bob Odenkirk is best known for his portrayal of Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad (Image Via Instagram/@therealbobodenkirk)
Bob Odenkirk is best known for his portrayal of Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad (Image Via Instagram/@therealbobodenkirk)

According to a recent news report by US Weekly, acclaimed American actor Bob Odenkirk recalls a near fatal heart attack which he had in 2021. Five years later, Odenkirk recalls the horrific health scare which he had on sets.

On May 13, Odenkirk told Times of London that his crew members (who noticed him) grabbed him and started screaming.

“I went down and Rhea [Seehorn] and Patrick [Fabian] grabbed me and they were screaming, but [the crew members who noticed] thought they were laughing, so there were delays in reacting because we were all so far apart from each other", Odenkirk told the publication

In July 2021, Odenkirk passed out while filming the last season of AMC's Better Call Saul. He was taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention. The actor had a minor heart attack, which medical professionals were able to heal without surgery, it was subsequently revealed.

Bob Odenkirk further recalled that he turned grey and the on-set medic had no idea what to do.

“I was gone. I turned grey. Eventually the on-set medic showed up and he didn’t know what to do. He’d never done CPR.”

Bob Odenkirk further experienced memory loss, telling The Times that the only information he has regarding the incident comes from third-party witness testimonies.

Many people receive that amazing reel of their life or have someone ask them if they would like to go back. I don't want any of it," Odenkirk told the newspaper. "Leaving the hospital a week after I arrived is the first memory I have."

The Breaking Bad alum is now grateful for the incident.

“That was such a gift, to experience a few weeks where I felt that way about my presence in the world,” said Bob Odenkirk. “I felt just very, very delighted and engaged.”

Odenkirk further mentions that his collapse also affected his Better Call Saul co-stars.

At the time, he claimed, "I was not present for any of it. I've been told that it was a pretty shocking day on set, traumatizing for all of my crew members, costars, and loved ones who supported me and went to the hospital with me."

In October 2023, Odenkirk told Yahoo!Life that the health scare did not affect him for a long time and he was surprisingly upbeat the next day.

"Strangely, it didn't have a big impact on me for a while" he told Yahoo!Life, "I had a strange kind of upbeat energy literally the next day, and every day. I had a mind wipe every night, which is why. I wanted to hear about what had occurred to me from those who had experienced it, and I needed my brain to return to a normal condition because my capacity to even think about what had happened to me [was damaged]. I consider it on a daily basis."

About Bob Odenkirk

Born on October 22,1962 in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk is a renowned American actor, writer and producer who is best known for playing the character of Saul Goodman is the hit series Breaking Bad and it's spinoff Better Call Saul.

He began his work as a writer in Saturday Night Live and later transitioned to acting. He has written for his shows like The Ben Miller Show and Dennis Miller Show.

He has directed feature films like Let's Go to Prison and Melvin Goes to Dinner. His television appearences include Everybody Loves Raymond, Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother, Just Shoot Me and Ed.

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Edited by Saumeya Mehrotra