Bob Odenkirk Opens Up About Harrowing 2021 Heart Attack and His Path to Recovery

Bob Odenkirk is revisiting one of the most frightening moments of his life—the 2021 heart attack that struck while he was working on Better Call Saul.

In a recent conversation with The Times of London, the two-time Emmy winner provided candid recollections of the medical emergency. He was 58 at the time and filming an episode for season 6 of the acclaimed series, with co-stars Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian present alongside the production crew.

"I went down and Rhea and Patrick grabbed me and they were screaming, but [the crew members who noticed] thought they were laughing," Odenkirk recalled. "So there were delays in reacting because we were all so far apart from each other. I was gone. I turned gray. Eventually the on-set medic showed up and he didn't know what to do. He'd never done CPR."

The actor described the surreal nature of the experience, noting the absence of typical near-death phenomena. "A lot of people get that wonderful reel of film of their life, or they have a person who says, 'Do you want to go back?' None of that for me. The first memory I have is leaving the hospital a week after I got there."

What followed his hospitalization proved to be transformative. Odenkirk characterized the recovery period as "such a gift," describing his emotional state during that time. "I felt just very, very delighted and engaged," he reflected.

Medical professionals determined that plaque buildup had blocked an artery, causing the cardiac event. Since then, Odenkirk has made significant lifestyle adjustments, reducing his sugar intake and maintaining a regimen of medications including metoprolol, a beta-blocker used to manage blood pressure.

The Breaking Bad star has previously credited his physical training for a film project with playing a crucial role in his survival of the heart attack.