Bob Odenkirk, best known for his role as the morally flexible lawyer Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul, is now playing a law-abiding character in the new film Normal. In an interview with readers, he discusses his career, his heart attack, and his plans to slow down.
On Life as a Meaningless Farce
When asked about his comment that 'life is a meaningless farce,' Odenkirk replied, 'Oh, I don’t know. You need to talk to God about that. I don’t know why he made it so ridiculous, but it is. I’m not done asking questions and trying to figure things out, but I do think we’re going to end up where Douglas Adams did.'
On Political Satire vs. Hogwash
Regarding the power of satire, Odenkirk admitted, 'I sure wish it was, but no. I do think political satire is helpful, but it is not as important as we all wished it was. I’m afraid political satire pales in comparison to political hogwash, as we’re witnessing in my country.'
On Henry Winkler and Normal
Odenkirk praised his Normal co-star Henry Winkler: 'Henry himself is the sweetest guy alive. If he unleashed anything in me, he unleashed the desire to be as kind, generous and friendly as he finds his way to be in the world every day. And that’s not easy to do. It’s a choice to meet the world’s annoyances and frustrations with the patience and kindness that he does. He’s a special guy, so I’m glad I got him to play such a jerk who gets his comeuppance.'
On Becoming an Action Hero
When asked about his reinvention as an action star, Odenkirk joked, 'Liam Neeson still owns that space. I am the Bob Odenkirk of action movie stars.' He added, 'I’m 63 years old, and there aren’t a lot of romcoms written for my generation. I like action movies. I have a lot of rage inside me that I get to play out. It started as a joke, but through some massive cock-up, I’ve somehow pulled it off.'
On Saul Goodman’s Wardrobe and Morality
Odenkirk revealed he kept some ties from the set but not suits. On Saul’s immorality, he said, 'Saul’s actually a very earnest guy. He’s aware that he has an ability to talk people into things, and talk his way out of things. The sad thing is that he can’t think of a better use for it than to become a conman, because he has a resentment inside him that drives him to use his talents in a destructive way.'
On the Inca Trail vs. West Highland Way
Odenkirk compared hiking the Inca Trail with David Cross to the West Highland Way with his daughter: 'The Inca Trail was way harder. The West Highland Way was fairly placid compared with the Inca Trail, which goes to 13,800ft and you’re constantly climbing up or down. The stairs are all different heights, so you have to pay attention to each footfall or you could twist an ankle.'
On Nebraska and Bruce Dern
Appreciating a compliment about his Oscar-worthy performance in Nebraska, Odenkirk said, 'I don’t think they should give Oscars for roles that small, but I appreciate the compliment. My favourite thing about that film was sitting with Bruce Dern in the diner attached to the hotel, listening to him tell stories about his life as an actor.'
On Shakespeare and Kevin Costner
Odenkirk expressed interest in performing Shakespeare: 'I would like to have a go, just to make myself suffer.' When asked which Kevin Costner role he would play, he chose Field of Dreams due to their facial resemblance.
On His Heart Attack and Slowing Down
Reflecting on his on-set heart attack in 2021, Odenkirk said, 'It kind of did make me want to quit acting and live a quiet life. I did keep going and chose to work, but I’m not going to keep working at the same level. It made me think how fragile life is, and how hard it is to appreciate life when you’re over-scheduled. ... If that heart attack gave me any gift, it was the realisation that I didn’t want to carry on that way, so now I am slowing down. ... I’m just going to go to Paris with my wife and do fuck all.'
Normal is in cinemas now.
