Breaking Bad's Walter White, Jesse Pinkman immortalized via bronze statues
Bravo, Vince!
Walter White and Jesse Pinkman of AMC's Breaking Bad, considered the greatest television series of all time, just got immortalized through statues in Albuquerque, New Mexico where the show was set.
In a report from Entertainment Weekly, the Albuquerque Convention Center on July 29 (July 30 local time) unveiled the 226-kilogram bronze images of Walt and Jesse, who stand next to each other as they give brooding looks.
Those who graced the statues' launching included Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and Dean Norris, as well as series creator Vince Gilligan and writer Thomas Schnauz. Stars of its prequel Better Call Saul Rhea Seehorn, Michael Mando, and Patrick Fabian, as well as co-creator Peter Gould also made an appearance. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and other local officials were also present.
Schnauz, who's also an executive producer of Better Call Saul, also tweeted photos of the event.
Look who I found in Albuquerque. pic.twitter.com/OgN6hVlT3n
— Thomas Schnauz (@TomSchnauz) July 29, 2022
The dynamic duo's statues were made by sculptor Trevor Grove, who received funding from Sony Pictures Television, which produced the hit crime drama. Grove first got the attention of Gilligan when he made a tiny wax sculpture of Walt over a decade ago.
"It was so amazing that it just got me to thinking: What if Trevor could sculpt a life-sized version of Walter White in bronze, a medium new to him, and what if he could toss in Jesse Pinkman to boot, and then we donate to the two statues to the city of Albuquerque as a thank-you for your hospitality?" Entertainment Weekly quoted Gilligan as saying during the unveiling ceremony.
Paul, meanwhile, thanked Albuquerque for the big break, noting his role as Jesse "saved" his career, as he's a struggling actor at the time who depended on his parents to pay rent.
"I auditioned for Breaking Bad, and it completely changed my life," he said. "So thank you so much, thank you to Albuquerque — my God, we were here for seven years on and off. It was such a huge part of my life; it still is."
For Cranston's part, he said they're "humbled" with the tribute, though joked that they're "slightly embarrassed" to have statues as meth dealers.
Breaking Bad follows Walt (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer, who partners with his former student Jesse (Paul) to produce methamphetamine in a bid to secure his family's future before he goes. Things take a turn for the worse as they continue to navigate the criminal underworld.
The five-season, 63-episode series (2008 to 2013) received universal acclaim for its intriguing plot, layered character arcs, stellar performances, direction, and cinematography, among others.
Breaking Bad had 58 nominations and won 28 in major television awards, including Emmys and Golden Globes. It also got a Guinness World Record in 2014 for being the most critically acclaimed show of all time.
Cranston and Paul are set to make an appearance in the final episodes of Better Call Saul, which is already on its sixth and final season. It follows how con artist-slash-lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) becomes the iconic Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad. It also contains flashforwards to events following or during Breaking Bad, in which he becomes a fugitive going by Gene Takovic, a manager of a Cinnabon in Omaha in Nebraska.