Aaron Paul Reveals Bryan Cranston’s Epic On-Set Pranks During ‘Breaking Bad’ Filming

Despite the intense and often grim content of AMC’s iconic series Breaking Bad, it’s comforting to hear that stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul managed to have some fun while filming, with Cranston occasionally taking the jokes a bit too far.

In a recent episode of Sean Evans’ hit show Hot Ones, where Cranston has been a guest before, Paul shared a funny story from behind the scenes. He described how Cranston continuously tricked him into thinking his character was going to be killed off.

“He’s the most dedicated person on set, completely lovable—I consider him my best friend, he’s the godfather to my son, I absolutely love him. I was on the phone with him just last night for an hour. I’m totally smitten with him, but he’s also the most childish person I’ve ever known, and I mean that in the most affectionate and respectful way,” said the star of Ash.

Paul recounted a moment when Cranston, who had just stepped out of the production office, somberly summoned him, seemingly with bad news.

Featured Video

“He comes over and says, ‘It’s okay,’ giving me a long hug,” the Black Mirror actor recalled. “I ask, ‘What’s going on?’ He responds, ‘You’re going out with a bang, huh?’ Confused, I say, ‘What do you mean?’ He replies, ‘Haven’t you read the latest script? Just read it. I’m here if you need to talk.’”

Consequently, Paul said he “rushed” to the office to get the script, only to discover that his character, Jesse Pinkman, was still very much alive.

“He made it seem like my character was killed off,” he explained about his business partner at Dos Hombres Mezcal, “and he kept the joke going, even getting the costume designers involved who told me, ‘We need to take your measurements for the casket, can you stay a bit after work?’ I was baffled,” he added.

Originally, Jesse was to die at the end of the first season, but the dynamic between Paul and Cranston led the writers to keep his character alive. Jesse notably appeared in the 2019 movie El Camino. Paul humorously noted to the camera, “But I made it!”—a nod to the fate of his former chemistry teacher, who famously did not survive.

Breaking Bad, a powerhouse of modern TV, earned 58 Emmy nominations over its five-season span from 2008 to 2013, securing 16 wins, including three consecutive ones for Cranston (who snagged a fourth as a producer) and three for Paul. The series, created by Vince Gilligan, also led to the creation of the highly acclaimed spin-off Better Call Saul, starring Bob Odenkirk. This spin-off garnered 53 Emmy nominations but did not win any awards during its tenure from 2015 to 2022.

Check out Paul’s episode of Hot Ones below: