Bob Odenkirk

Robert John Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He gained widespread international recognition for his portrayals of attorney Saul Goodman in the television series Breaking Bad and its prequel spin-off Better Call Saul. Over his career, he has won two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Critics' Choice Television Awards, in addition to receiving nominations for Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.

Born on October 22, 1962, in Berwyn, Illinois, Odenkirk was raised in Naperville as the second of seven children in a Catholic family of German and Irish heritage. His father worked in the printing industry and struggled with alcoholism, an environment that led Odenkirk to avoid alcohol later in life. He completed high school early at age sixteen and attended several institutions, including the College of DuPage, Marquette University, and Southern Illinois University, where he honed his sketch writing and performing through college radio. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Columbia College Chicago in 1984 while actively participating in the Chicago improv scene.

Odenkirk began his professional television writing career in 1987 with Saturday Night Live, where he worked for four years and earned an Emmy Award. During this period, he also wrote for stage shows and created memorable comedy characters for fellow cast members. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1991, he wrote and acted on The Ben Stiller Show, winning a second Emmy Award, and wrote for Late Night with Conan O'Brien. From 1995 to 1998, he co-created and starred alongside David Cross in the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show with Bob and David, while also holding a recurring acting role on The Larry Sanders Show.

During the 2000s, Odenkirk directed feature films including Melvin Goes to Dinner, Let's Go to Prison, and The Brothers Solomon. He also assisted emerging comedic talent by helping develop television projects such as Tom Goes to the Mayor for Adult Swim. Throughout this decade, he made guest appearances on numerous television series and developed several television pilots.

Odenkirk expanded into prominent dramatic roles in 2009 when he joined the cast of Breaking Bad. Originally planned as a short guest arc, his performance led to his inclusion as a main cast member for the remainder of the series. He subsequently starred as the lead character and served as a producer on the prequel series Better Call Saul from 2015 to 2022. His performance earned six Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

In film, Odenkirk has appeared in acclaimed features such as Nebraska, The Post, Incredibles 2, and Little Women. He starred in and produced the action films Nobody and Nobody 2. His other work includes writing the 2017 essay collection A Load of Hooey, launching his production company Cal-Gold Pictures in 2020, making appearances in series such as Fargo and The Bear, and making his Broadway debut in a 2025 production of Glengarry Glen Ross, which earned him a Tony Award nomination.