Actor Bob Odenkirk has opened up about the near-fatal heart attack he suffered while filming the final season of Better Call Saul in 2021, describing the medical emergency as a life-changing experience that altered his perspective on life and work.
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Odenkirk, 63, discussed the incident in a recent interview with The Times while promoting his new film, Normal. He recalled collapsing on the New Mexico set during production of the Breaking Bad spin-off and losing consciousness almost immediately.
“I was gone. I turned gray,” Odenkirk said during the interview, explaining that he later learned details of the incident from cast and crew members because he retained almost no memory of the event itself.
“There were delays in reacting because we were all so far apart from each other,” he said. “Eventually the on-set medic showed up and he didn’t know what to do. He’d never done CPR.”
According to Odenkirk, co-stars Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian rushed to help him after he collapsed.
Medical professionals later determined that Odenkirk had suffered a widowmaker heart attack caused by plaque buildup that completely blocked an artery.
Bob Odenkirk Called His Heart Attack Life Changing
The actor said he woke up in the hospital about a week later and immediately felt grateful to have survived. He described the aftermath as emotionally transformative and said the experience gave him a renewed appreciation for daily life.
“That was such a gift,” Odenkirk said about the weeks following his recovery, “to experience a few weeks where I felt that way about my presence in the world. I felt just very, very delighted and engaged.”
Since the heart attack, Odenkirk has made several lifestyle changes. He has reduced his sugar intake and now takes aspirin, statins, and beta-blockers to support his heart health. He has also continued intense physical training while working on action-oriented film roles.
Despite the trauma, Odenkirk has remained active in Hollywood. He recently completed work on the action-comedy Normal and continued stunt training several times each week.