Sure, “Better Call Saul” is a spinoff of “Breaking Bad,” but anyone who’s seen the AMC drama knows it’s so much more. As a supporting player on the Bryan Cranston-starring show, Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman was a mystery to audiences. Now, thanks to the veteran actor’s award-worthy performance, the conniving lawyer is a thoroughly fleshed out, three-dimensional human being.
“He adds a tiny bit of humor to the most heartbreaking scenes that his character is going through and you’re on the journey with him,” says Head of Talent and Casting for Sony Television Dawn Steinberg in this exclusive video.
It’s his ability to relate to an audience on a truly human level that makes his performance so magnetic and award-worthy. And he’s not the only one. In addition, Jonathan Banks brings truth to the show as Mike Ehrmantraut. There are two sides to him: the tender, loving grandfather, and the murderous mastermind. “With a glance or a look or a grunt or a nod, you know what he’s feeling,” says Steinberg. “He can have a closeup for every scene, you wouldn’t even have to see the rest of his body. And I love it.”
Round out the cast with Rhea Seehorn and Michael McKean, and you can’t deny “Better Call Saul” has one of the most compelling casts on cable television.
Watch the exclusive clip below for more insight, and be sure to check back for more new advice from Steinberg, only on Backstage.com.
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