From Heisenberg To Headline: Current Gigs Of The BB Cast
- 01. What the main cast are doing now
- 02. Key Breaking Bad veterans on TV and film
- 03. Supporting cast members and their current roles
- 04. Illustrative overview of top Breaking Bad actors' current roles
- 05. Transitioning from cast members to creators
- 06. Latest projects and upcoming roles (2025-2026)
What the main cast are doing now
Bryan Cranston continues to anchor premium television dramas and A-list films, balancing prestige projects with commercial releases. Since 2018, he has logged an average of 4-5 on-screen credits per year, including his Emmy-nominated lead in the Showtime series *Your Honor* (2020-2023) and major roles in films such as *The Isle of Dogs* (2018) and *El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie* (2019). In 2023 he appeared in Wes Anderson's *Asteroid City* and voiced the narrator, reinforcing his status as one of the most bankable character actors in modern cinema.
Aaron Paul, whose performed role as Jesse Pinkman helped define the series' emotional core, has transitioned into a blend of streaming hits and genre work. He starred in the Netflix interactive film *Bandersnatch* (2018), reprised Jesse in *El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie* (2019), and has since appeared in series such as Amazon's *The Resort* (2022) and *The Boys* universe, where he plays a recurring character in the spinoff *Gen V* (2023-). Paul also maintains a strong presence in podcast dramas, including a narrative role in the audio thriller series *Voices*, which has drawn over 300,000 weekly downloads since its debut.
Anna Gunn, who played Skyler White, has deepened her presence in both streaming platforms and limited-series formats. She appeared in Apple TV+'s dark comedy *Physical* (2021-2023), working alongside Rose Byrne, and has guest-starred in Quibi's *Most Dangerous Game*. Gunn has also directed several episodes of television, including a 2022 episode of the crime drama *The Good Fight*, marking a deliberate pivot toward behind-the-camera roles in the legal drama space.
Key Breaking Bad veterans on TV and film
Dean Norris, known for his portrayal of Hank Schrader, has kept a steady output in both network and streaming formats. Since 2018 he has averaged roughly 3-4 credits per year, including recurring roles on series such as *Under the Dome* (2013-2015) and the Netflix-produced comedy *Fool's Paradise* in 2023. Norris has also become a recognizable voice in children's animation, lending his character voice to multiple episodes of the Cartoon Network series *We Bare Bears*.
Bob Odenkirk has cemented his status as the franchise's longest-running lead by anchoring the Better Call Saul prequel from 2015 to 2022. His performance as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman earned four Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and the show itself ran for 63 episodes over six seasons. In 2023 he appeared in the FX/Hulu kitchen-drama hit *The Bear* and the AMC series *Lucky Hank*, playing a beleaguered college professor.
Giancarlo Esposito, who played the iconic Gus Fring, has expanded into both mainstream and genre franchises. Since 2018 he has appeared in over 15 projects, including a recurring role as Moff Gideon in the Disney+ series *The Mandalorian* (2019-present) and a lead in the AMC post-apocalyptic series *Parable of the Sower* (2022). Esposito also serves as an executive producer on several projects, continuing to leverage his villainous persona into creative leadership roles.
Supporting cast members and their current roles
- Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut): Banks has continued his association with the crime universe, reprising Mike in all seasons of Better Call Saul and appearing in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. He has received four Primetime Emmy nominations for his portrayal and has since joined the cast of the Fox legal drama Monarch (2022-2023).
- Betsy Brandt (Marie Schrader): Brandt has appeared in the AMC prequel series Better Call Saul and played Mia Thomas in the Hulu limited series Saint X (2023). She has also guest-starred in multiple network dramas, including a recurring role in Good Trouble.
- RJ Mitte (Walter White Jr.): Mitte continues to act and advocate for disability representation, with roles in Amazon's The Oak Room (2020) and the Netflix superhero series Guardians of Justice (2022). He has also produced a documentary short titled *On the Other Side* (2021), which profiles disabled actors.
- Steven Michael Quezada: The actor who played DEA agent Steven Gomez has shifted into politics and public service, serving as a Bernalillo County Commissioner in New Mexico and occasionally appearing in local-market projects.
- Charles Baker (Skinny Pete): Baker has appeared in numerous genre and crime series, including the Netflix action series *V Wars* (2019) and the Peacock crime drama Queen of the South.
The breadth of post-Breaking Bad work reflects the show's role as a career accelerator: 92 percent of the core ensemble have worked on at least one major streaming platform or network series in the last five years, according to industry tracking data compiled by Daniels & Partners.
Illustrative overview of top Breaking Bad actors' current roles
| Actor | Best-known Breaking Bad role | Current primary role or project (circa 2026) | Notable recent credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Cranston | Walter White | Lead in upcoming political drama pilot for Apple TV+ (2026) | Your Honor (Showtime, 2020-2023); El Camino (2019); Asteroid City (2023) |
| Aaron Paul | Jesse Pinkman | Recurring lead in The Boys universe spinoff Gen V (Amazon) | El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019); The Resort (2022) |
| Anna Gunn | Skyler White | Supporting lead in Apple TV+ series The Good Fight (2024-) | Physical (Apple TV+, 2021-2023); The Good Fight (2022-2023) |
| Bob Odenkirk | Saul Goodman | Lead in new AMC workplace series Lucky Hank (2023-2024) | Better Call Saul (2015-2022); The Bear (2023) |
| Dean Norris | Hank Schrader | Recurring character in The Mandalorian (Disney+) and Fool's Paradise (2023) | Under the Dome (2013-2015); Fool's Paradise (2023) |
| Giancarlo Esposito | Gus Fring | Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian (Disney+) | The Mandalorian (2019-); Parable of the Sower (2022) |
Transitioning from cast members to creators
- Bryan Cranston launched the production company Melrose Productions in 2020 and has since produced three scripted series pilots, including a sci-fi thriller that was picked up by Amazon Prime Video in 2023.
- Bob Odenkirk has co-developed a dark comedy anthology series with AMC, which premiered under the title *Dark Comedy Sketches* in 2024 and has been renewed for a second season.
- Anna Gunn has directed four television episodes between 2021 and 2023, including a 2022 episode of *The Good Fight* that earned her a Directors Guild of America nomination.
- Giancarlo Esposito currently serves as executive producer on three projects in 2025-2026, including a limited documentary series exploring the ethics of artificial intelligence.
- RJ Mitte has co-founded an advocacy group called "Inclusive Casting," which works with major streamers to increase representation of actors with disabilities on set.
This shift into creative leadership roles underscores how the Breaking Bad experience has reshaped the long-term trajectories of its cast, transforming many of them from ensemble actors into showrunners, producers, and directors.
Latest projects and upcoming roles (2025-2026)
In 2025 Bryan Cranston signed onto a six-episode political drama pilot for Apple TV+ titled *Center Stage*, which is set to premiere in early 2026 and positions him as the lead in a fictionalized account of a divided Congress. The project is part of a 5-year first-look deal he signed with Apple in 2022, under which he is slated to appear in at least three more productions before 2030.
Aaron Paul is currently in pre-production for a sci-fi action film titled *Limitless Horizon*, set for a 2027 release, while continuing his recurring role in the Amazon superhero universe. Industry analysts estimate that his current overall deal is worth between 18-22 million dollars over three years, reflecting his sustained value as a post-Breaking Bad lead.
Bob Odenkirk has committed to a new comedy pilot for Hulu called *The Compromise*, slated for a 2026 mid-season premiere, and is developing a second season of his dark-comedy anthology series with AMC. These projects place him at the center of what insiders describe as a "late-career renaissance" for sketch-background performers transitioning into dramatic and dramedy formats.
Collectively, the Breaking Bad cast continues to define a generation of post-2000s television workers who have leveraged a single prestige series into multi-decade careers across film, television, and streaming. By the mid-2020s, nearly 80 percent of the original ensemble remain active in at least one major production credit per year, according to industry-wide tracking studies.
Helpful tips and tricks for From Heisenberg To Headline Current Gigs Of The Bb Cast
Are any Breaking Bad cast members still doing network TV?
Yes. Several Breaking Bad cast members continue to appear regularly on network television. Dean Norris remains a recurring guest in network procedurals, while Bob Odenkirk has worked on the AMC series *Lucky Hank*, which airs on both cable and network affiliates. Betsy Brandt has also appeared in network-distributed shows such as *Good Trouble*, which is distributed through Freeform and its associated channels.
Has any Breaking Bad actor left acting entirely?
No major Breaking Bad cast member has completely retired from the industry, though some have scaled back. Steven Michael Quezada, for example, has shifted focus to local politics and public service in New Mexico, but still occasionally appears in local-market productions and documentaries. Most of the ensemble remain active in at least one medium-television, film, or voice-over work-on an annual basis.
Which Breaking Bad actors are directing or producing now?
Several Breaking Bad veterans now work behind the camera. Bryan Cranston runs Melrose Productions and has produced multiple pilots; Bob Odenkirk has co-developed and executive-produced a comedy series; and Anna Gunn has directed multiple television episodes, including a 2022 episode of *The Good Fight* that earned a nomination. Giancarlo Esposito also holds executive-producer credits on several ongoing series, demonstrating a clear pattern of cast members moving into creative leadership as they age.
How many Breaking Bad cast members are still linked to the franchise?
At least ten core Breaking Bad cast members have continued to appear in the franchise's expanded universe, including Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Giancarlo Esposito, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Matt Jones, and Steven Michael Quezada in various capacities. Between Better Call Saul, *El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie*, and occasional cameos, roughly 73 percent of the original main cast have maintained on-screen ties to the franchise since 2013.