‘Breaking Bad’ Star Aaron Paul Considers Leaving U.S. Over ‘Terrifying’ Trump Campaign
Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul says he and his wife are considering fleeing to Canada if Donald Trump is elected president of the U.S. In what he calls Trump’s “terrifying” campaign for the White House, Paul tells the London Evening Standard that he’s perplexed by the public’s support of the controversial billionaire.
“I think he is terrifying,” Paul says. “If he becomes president, and he will not become president, I just do not believe he would know what to do. It’s just shocking to me that 100 percent of the public doesn’t feel the way I do.”
You into cults? The brilliant @realmonaghan? Hugh Dancy? Check out the trailer for my new show. @ThePathOnHulu https://t.co/AEe6vXB7sv
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) February 19, 2016
Trump kicked of this bid for the White House by accusing Mexican officials of sending “rapists” across the border to America, and calling for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” His views on immigration have recently drawn criticism from Pope Francis. A number of celebrities — including Michael Moore, Stephen King, Jennifer Lawrence, and Salma Hayek — have criticized Donald’s comments and condemned his bid for the presidential nomination.
“My wife and I have already decided we are going to try and convince Canada to let us ‘move upstairs,'” Aaron says, on what he’ll do if Trump is elected president. “Or if you guys would have us here, that’d be great. I’ll write the Queen a very lovely letter: ‘Please let us become citizens.’”
Last year, many considered Trump’s presidential bid to be a joke, After all, back in 1987, he spoke of his political ambitions to TIME magazine, saying, “I have no intention of running for President.” Today, he’s the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s 2016 presidential nomination. When Trump announced his proposed change for America, the Huffington Post decided to put its coverage of his campaign in the Entertainment section instead of the Politics section.
“Our reason is simple,” wrote Ryan Grim and Danny Shea. “Trump’s campaign is a sideshow.” Since then, Donald’s campaign has evolved into “an ugly and dangerous force in American politics.”
“Everyone thought it was funny at the beginning but he is still in the race and that is so bizarre to me,” says Paul.
The worst roles @aaronpaul_8 has been offered post-#BreakingBad https://t.co/51rzX4yRfY via @VarietyLatino pic.twitter.com/vYiWWabJ8W
— Variety (@Variety) February 19, 2016
Aaron is best known for portraying Jesse Pinkman in the hit AMC drama series Breaking Bad, for which he won several awards, including the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Breaking Bad ran for five seasons (2008-2013), and spawned the spin-off Better Call Saul.
Paul has since starred in films such as Need for Speed, A Long Way Down, and Exodus: Gods and Kings. In 2014, he executive produced the Netflix animated series BoJack Horseman, in which he voices Todd Chavez. Now he’s back in Jesse Pinkman mode in the Hulu dark original series, The Path – which stars Hugh Dancy (House) as a charismatic cult leader with Paul and Michelle Monaghan (True Detective) as his disciples.
The official description says the series will follow “a family at the center of a controversial cult as they struggle with relationships, faith and power. Each episode takes an in-depth look at the gravitational pull of belief and what it means to choose between the life we live and the life we want.”
“I am drawn to emotionally conflicted characters, something that as an actor I can sink my teeth into,” Paul tells the London Evening Standard. “For some reason I am always gravitating towards the darker side of things. In my real life I would like to think I am a happy guy who enjoys life. But I also enjoy zipping on a skin where the character is going through hell. And back.”
Catch Aaron Paul as a low-level criminal in director John Hillcoat’s thriller Triple 9, which opens on February 26. The Path premieres on Hulu on March 30.
[Images courtesy of Eric Charbonneau/AP Images]
