‘Breaking Bad’s’ Jonathan Banks Answers ‘Better Call Saul’ Questions


Breaking Bad’s Jonathan Banks has had a pretty steady career over the last few decades. When he scored a role on Breaking Bad, even though he was a seasoned actor, the AMC show brought Banks an enormous amount of exposure and earned the character actor fans from all walks of life.

On Breaking Bad Jonathan Banks played the character Mike Ehrmantraut, former Philly officer turned retired fixer for sleezeball lawyer Saul Goodman and Gus Fring. Banks’ character was introduced as a hardened man who went about his business and did whatever he had to do to be a loyal employee to Fring. As Jonathan Banks’ role grew on the show he became a mentor and father figure to lovable meth distributor Jesse Pinkman, who was often Walter White’s pawn and business partner. Expanding on his soft side, we also learned that he had a granddaughter he cared for immensely.

Although the character of Mike met his demise in the last season of Breaking Bad, his character will be introduced in the spin-off show Better Call Saul. The show acts a prequel series about Walter White and Jesse Pinkman’s attorney, Saul Goodman, which means we will be seeing a “younger” Mike. Jonathan Banks sat down with the NY Daily News for a live web chat to discuss his Breaking Bad character.

Of the tone of the new show, Banks alluded that it might be a little more comedic than the darker shades that Breaking Bad took on during its later seasons. “My guess is that Saul will be the lighter side as far as humor goes, and the dark side would be Mike. And I look forward to that.”

When speaking of his character Mike, Banks seemed to revel in the mysterious side that comes with playing his Breaking Bad character. “I love the mystery of Mike. I love that he can be tender, when the reality was that he was a murderous, drug-dealing bad guy. Unlike some of the other characters, he knew that. He knew his soul was lost.”

In addition to his role on Breaking Bad, and now Better Call Saul, Jonathan has been seen recently in the NBC sitcom Community as a criminology teacher.

Even though the Breaking Bad series has ended it doesn’t mean that Banks has forgotten his co-stars. According to Jonathan he still keep in touch with a few people from the show.

Of Bryan Cranston, Banks said:

“I sent him a 10-pound ham on opening night,” Banks joked. “But I honestly believe that Bryan Cranston is one of the absolute best actors in America.”

Better Call Saul’s air date is scheduled for November.

[Image credit: AMC]

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