Breaking Bad: Where Else You’ve Seen The Cast

Breaking Bad is widely considered to be one of the best television series ever to have graced the small screen. It featured a stellar cast of actors, many who were already well-known prior to the series, and some who enjoyed breakout success after. In every case, however, fans probably recognized each of the main cast members from at least one or two TV series or movies from before. And most of the actors have enjoyed tremendous success after.

For those who watched Breaking Bad when it was first on the air from 2008 through to 2013, to new fans who are only deciding to binge now, where else might you have spotted the cast? Here’s a look at some of their most notable projects.

10 Bryan Cranston: Walter White

Prior to Breaking Bad, Cranston’s most recognizable role was as the hapless father Hal on the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. But since the leading role on Breaking Bad has drastically upped Cranston’s Hollywood stock, the actor has become a bona fide movie star.

Some other roles you might recognize him from since include as Lyndon B. Johnson in HBO’s TV movie All the Way, and Dalton Trumbo in Trumbo (for which he received an Academy Award nomination). You might also remember him as Jerry’s dentist on Seinfeld.

9 Anna Gun: Skyler White

While Breaking Bad remains her most high-profile role, she has also appeared in several other notable series, including The Practice and Deadwood, Lifetime fans might recognize her from a leading role in the movie Secrets of Eden, which also starred John Stamos.

She has also appeared on stage, most recently in Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana in 2019.

8 Aaron Paul: Jesse Pinkman

Paul has been very busy since his breakout role on this series that was initially supposed to be a minor character who got killed off in the first season until the fabulous chemistry between he and Cranston led to a completely different arc for the character.

He has led several series since, including Hulu’s The Path and Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told. Most recently, he starred in the third season of the HBO series Westworld. Of course, Breaking Bad fans will have also seen him in the sequel film for Netflix, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. He is also heard, though not seen, as the voice of Todd Chavez in Netflix animated series BoJack Horseman.

7 Betsy Brandt: Marie Schrader

One of the funniest yet most underrated sitcoms of the 2010s was Life in Pieces, and Brandt starred in this show, which premiered just a few years after Breaking Bad wrapped up. The series is about an eccentric family, and she plays the eldest daughter, a married stay-at-home mom to three kids.

Brandt has had guest roles on tons of TV series, from The Practice to NCIS, and also had a role on Parenthood at the same time as Breaking Bad. Fans might also recall seeing her most recently in Pearson as well as in three episodes of another underrated 2010s sitcom, The Unicorn.

6 Dean Norris: Hank Schrader

Immediately after Breaking Bad ended, Norris was cast in CBS sci-fi series Under the Dome, on which he starred for its entire three-season run. He currently appears as a mob boss on the TNT series Claws.

That show has been renewed for a fourth and final season, though filming was put on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If not from these TV roles, Norris might also be recognizable from the various films across many genres in which he has appeared, including Lethal Weapon 2, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Firm, Starship Troopers, Little Miss Sunshine, and Evan Almighty.

5 Bob Odenkirk: Saul Goodman

Of course, Odenkirk reprised his role of Saul Goodman, a.k.a. Jimmy McGill, for the prequel series Better Call Saul, which will air its sixth and final season in 2021. But he was a pretty known name in the comedy world prior to his role on Breaking Bad, thanks to the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show with Bob and David that he co-created and starred in with David Cross.

He was also known behind the scenes as a writer for shows like Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Other high-profile projects he might be recognizable from since Breaking Bad include Nebraska, Fargo, The Post, and Little Women.

4 Johnathan Banks: Mike Ehrmantraut

Banks has had a long and successful career in Hollywood, and though he hasn’t really enjoyed leading roles, he is known as a solid supporting actor. One of his most recognizable roles was in the 1980 comedy film Airplane! as well as 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop.

He continues to play Ehrmantraut in Better Call Saul and reprised the role as well as the film El Camino. Another role that his face might look familiar from: Wiseguy as Frank McPike, which was considered his breakout role in the late ’80s.

3 Giancarlo Esposito: Gus Fring

Esposito has one of those faces and distinctive voices that is recognizable in any project he’s in. And there have been many high-profile ones. In television, he may be recognized from Once Upon a Time, Revolution, Dear White People,The Boys, and The Mandalorian. He also had a minor role in Westworld.

On film, some of his most notable credits include School Daze, Do the Right Thing,Malcolm X, The Usual Suspects,Ali, and, most recently, Stargirl.

2 Jesse Plemons: Todd

Often called out for his resemblance to Hollywood A-lister Matt Damon, Plemons really proved his acting chops in this role, which he reprised for the Breaking Bad movie, El Camino, But he’s also known for Friday Night Lights, Fargo, and, more recently, for playing the lead in the episode of anthology series Black Mirror called “USS Callister.”

He has also appeared in many films, including All the Pretty Horses, Game Night, Vice, and The Irishman.

1 Matt Jones: Badger

Jones has such a distinctive voice that it’s likely you’ve heard more so than seen him. He has provided voices for animated series like Adventure Time, Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil, and the video game Rage; as well as the character Boov Kyle in the movie Home and its spin-off series Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh.

But in addition to the role of Badger, on screen, he’s most known as Baxter on Mom, in four episodes of The Office, and now appears in the sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola.

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