Bob Odenkirk Reveals the Better Call Saul Heart Attack That Nearly Killed Him

Bob Odenkirk is finally opening up about the day he collapsed from a heart attack on the Better Call Saul set in 2021. In a candid new interview, the Breaking Bad alum, then 58, retraces the Season 6 scare and how he fought his way back to camera.

From Drama on Screen to Drama Off

Turns out, July 2021 wasn’t just another day at the Albuquerque office for Odenkirk, who you obviously know as the sleaziest-yet-weirdly-lovable lawyer, Saul Goodman. In the middle of shooting season six, Bob — then 58 — suddenly collapsed on set. This wasn’t some melodramatic faint for the cameras. He was completely out, and for a moment, no one seemed entirely sure what to do.

The Chaos Unfolds

Here’s where things get a bit wild. Odenkirk says he ‘went down’ while both Rhea Seehorn (Kim Wexler) and Patrick Fabian (Howard Hamlin) were right there. The trouble is, they started shouting for help — but some crew members thought it was just part of the usual rehearsal banter, and they didn’t react straight away.

'I went down and Rhea and Patrick grabbed me, and they were screaming, but [the crew members who noticed] thought they were laughing,' Odenkirk said. 'So there were delays in reacting because we were all so far apart from each other. I was gone. I turned gray. Eventually, the on-set medic showed up, and he didn’t know what to do. He’d never done CPR.'

So that’s comforting: not only was Bob out cold and 'gray', but the medic on site apparently had zero CPR experience. Let that sink in for a second.

The Surreal Aftermath

If you’re expecting one of those mystical, post-near-death revelations, Odenkirk says you’d be disappointed. No visions, no big spiritual moment, and no mysterious figures offering him a chance to 'go back'. His first real memory is leaving the hospital an entire week later.

The cause? According to the report, it was a classic heart attack catalyst — a blocked artery thanks to a hefty build-up of plaque. Since then, Bob’s said to be much more proactive about his health, which frankly sounds sensible after such a close call.

Perspective After the Panic

• July 2021: Odenkirk collapses while filming 'Better Call Saul' season 6
• Initial confusion on set delays medical response
• He is 'gone' for a worrying stretch; the on-set medic lacks CPR experience
• No out-of-body revelations – his first memory is leaving hospital a week later
• Doctors blame a blocked artery caused by plaque
• Odenkirk recovers, calls the chance to take stock of life 'such a gift'

In typical Odenkirk style, he describes waking up after all this with a new sense of appreciation. He’s called his recovery period 'such a gift' and claims he now feels 'very, very delighted and engaged.'

It’s a pretty astonishing story, and honestly, for a show that thrived on snappy dialogue and shocking twists, nothing on the screen was as close to the bone as what happened behind the scenes. If you needed an excuse to look after your arteries or just ring your GP once in a while, Bob’s near-miss is about as good a wake-up call as you’ll get.