Bob Odenkirk opened up about “Better Call Saul” characters — Kim and Jimmy (Saul) who broke up in the recent episode, titled “Fun and Games.”
“It’s six years of preparation,” he told EW Tuesday. “They’ve been such a team. I mean, they’ve been a great partnership, the worst things that happened to them, they kind of ride out. At very worst, they sort of scold each other.”
“But they’re very supportive of each other,” Odenkirk continued. “And, of course, we’ve seen Kim be supportive of Jimmy when he is not there, when he’s just on his own, out in world talking to Howard or somebody, and she’s pushed back on anything said about Jimmy that’s too negative.”
RELATED: Top 10 ‘Better Call Saul’ Ending Theories; According To Fans
The 59-year-old actor went on to share how both the characters were equally commitment to each other and then, Kim decided to leave despite being the one who took the first step.
“It felt very real to me. Both characters have equal commitment to each other and love for each other and desire, and they both sort of secretly know that it’s wrong, that it’s not a good, healthy relationship,” he explained. “And even the fact that she moved first and she’s holding the line here is driving him crazy, is adding fuel to the fire of like, “No, no, I leave! Let me be the one!” [Laughs] I think it’s all just so charged in every direction. Man, we had a lot of emotion to work with here.”
How It Felt Saying GoodBye To Jimmy and Kim’s Relationship
“Well, I think it’s the line where she says — and I haven’t seen this, and this scene was shot eight months ago or whatever — but I’m looking at her packed clothes and things, and she’s standing behind me, and she says something to the effect of, “We’re not good for each other.” And that just tells you she’s made a choice here, a big choice… It really is like a door slamming shut,” he said. “A pretty huge door.”
RELATED: ‘Better Call Saul’ Star Michael Mando Explains Nacho’s Connection With Mike
“Honestly, the moment and the argument and the interaction was more like real life than you want acting to be [Laughs],” the actor continued. “We spent six years making the show and I don’t want to talk about more to come because there is all kinds of stuff to come in the story and I don’t want to spoil anything, but the truth is that was a big, big moment for Jimmy and Kim.”
“As big as it feels, that’s how big it was for us, too, for Rhea and I. It’s really a good scene. It feels very real. It felt like a real breakup,” he added. “That’s what happens. It’s that full of pain and it’s that much of a dead end. It’s that impossible to change. You can’t change the trajectory.
mcwexler jim jimmy mcgill kim wexler rhea seehorn bob odenkirk better call saul saul goodman edit fancam love of my life pic.twitter.com/lZWihxF8RI
— seduasu edits (@waystaredits) July 21, 2022
Entering the “Breaking Bad” era as Saul Goodman
“Kim was the last person connecting Jimmy to some hope — a legitimate, straightforward connection that’s balanced to the world, to life, to other people,” Odenkirk explained. “He was trying to make her love him and make her respect him and keep her appreciation. He lost Chuck [Michael McKean] and he felt like he pushed away the legal community with his Saul Goodman persona: “I’m not going to pursue that. I’m not going to want your respect or to be included in your country clubs and your legal associations. So f–k you.”
Related: Parallel Characters In ‘Breaking Bad’ And Its Prequel
“She was the last person who connected him to other people and in a sense that he could be contributing to the world and be connected in a meaningful way,” he added. “And once she says, “Goodbye, I don’t want any more of this and this isn’t good for us, and I’m going to make a choice for us both,” then he’s like, “F— this world.” And then he’s Saul.”
Playing Jimmy or Saul, Which Is Easier?
“Yeah. The Breaking Bad Saul is much easier to play than Jimmy McGill and the kind of depth — basically as Saul, he’s turned off a lot of [laughs] his human dimensions. He’s just shut them down and compartmentalized so that he’s facing the world in this persona, and literally only asking, “What do I want right now and how do I get it?” It’s easier; it’s a thinner character to play.”
RELATED: What Did Bob Odenkirk Drink In Episode ‘Bagman’ That Looked Like Urine
“Putting his ear[piece] in when he wakes up. [Laughs] That is like, “Let’s go, let’s go! Let’s be this guy!” He has a shot at, like, 15 seconds of humanity, and then he grabs that thing and sticks it in his ear and presses “go” and he’s on. I say it’s easier for me to play, and I would argue it’s easier for Jimmy to play.”
“It’s easier for Jimmy to be that guy and just go, “I know what I’m about. And I don’t have to ask a bunch of questions: ‘What am I doing today?’ ‘Why?’ ‘What’s the best thing I should be doing?’ ‘How could I be better?’ He doesn’t have to ask any of those questions and life gets simple. And I think he’s at peace with that. And then it goes haywire with Walter White.”
For more updates on “Better Call Saul” season 6, keep watching this space.
