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Bob Odenkirk Explains How Action Flick Nobody Was a Big Reason He Survived a Heart Attack

LONG LIVE SLIPPIN' JIMMY!!!

By Josh Weiss
Bob Odenkirk in Nobody (2021)

In July of 2021, fans of Better Call Saul held their collective breath when Bob Odenkirk suffered a heart attack on the set of AMC's hit Breaking Bad prequel. The good news is that the actor ended up making a full recovery and was able to finish shooting the series, perfectly wrapping up the criminal saga of the crooked lawyer known as James "Slippin' Jimmy" McGill (better known as counsel to Walter White, Saul Goodman).

Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Odenkirk openly discussed the much-publicized health scare, stating that while an ambulance didn't arrive on set for close to half an hour, he received immediate CPR attention. His ticker also benefitted from the action-heavy production on Universal Pictures' action-thriller Nobody (now streaming on Peacock). "I was in really good shape and that helped my heart to survive that incident," he said. "Exercise and it'll help you through everything."

For More on Action Movies:
John Wick Director Says First Movie's Puppy Death Was Written Out of the Script Several Times
The Bourne Legacy: Why the Would-Be Reboot Packs Even More of a Punch Today
How Director Tommy Wirkola's Scandinavian Background Reshaped the Climax of Violent Night

Watch Bob Odenkirk Talk About How Nobody Helped Him Survive a Heart Attack

Nobody centers around Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk), an ordinary suburban father, who reveals a set of deadly skills and long-kept secrets after a home invasion causes his own family to pull away in disappointment. Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry) directed the film, working off a screenplay written by famed John Wick creator, Derek Kolstad. Odenkirk, who had gone through the scarring experience of two different break-ins, came up with the central story.

"The first time was particularly traumatic," he remarks in the official production notes. "As a dad, I felt the right thing to do was… nothing. I believe we made it through with minimum damage, but still, the experience has never left me, and I’ve always wondered if I should have been more proactive."

"Usually, movies like this — John Wick, Taken, The Equalizer, even Rambo — are based on the premise of the bad guys messing with the wrong guy," adds producer Braden Aftergood. "The bad guys mess with a tough guy who is even tougher than they are. Bob’s idea was: What if the bad guys messed with the ‘right’ guy? Meaning, what if they messed with a normal guy who isn’t a threat, who shouldn’t fight back, but then he does? It explores this idea of what a normal person’s capacity for violence is — or can be under the right circumstances."

Nobody is now streaming on Peacock. A sequel is currently in development. Click here for everything we know so far!

Originally published Mar 15, 2023.