Bob Odenkirk Details How His Life Was Saved On The Set Of Better Call Saul
Thank goodness Bob Odenkirk is okay. When word reached social media about the comedian and "Better Call Saul" actor's on-set medical emergency last July, the world waited for what we hoped would be good news. A day later, official word came in that the actor was on the mend, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Now, as the AMC drama he stars in wraps production and nears the premiere of its final season, Odenkirk is speaking in detail about the harrowing event.
Odenkirk spoke to Empire Magazine about his heart attack, and though he highlights the good luck and skill that helped him survive it, the whole experience sounds downright awful. First, Odenkirk points out that he was extremely lucky the cast and crew weren't on location, and that he didn't go to his trailer during on-set downtime. Both are normal occurrences, but they would've meant Odenkirk would've been alone when the event happened. As is, he says, "it was me, Rhea Seehorn, and Patrick Fabian. And I just went down. I just had a heart attack."
A Very Close Call
The "Nobody" actor is very open about the details of his heart attack in this interview, and he says there's one thing he wants to clear up. In a conspiracy-rife time, apparently some fans started a rumor that his health scare was related to the COVID vaccine. "My God, what is wrong with people? Why are they so angry at normal science?" he points out, before explaining that the event was the result of a plaque build-up he had known about since 2018.
Normally, I'd feel bad that the culture of celebrity privacy invasion has gone so far that Odenkirk even has to explain these things. But I, like a lot of people who treasure the guy's affable personality and versatile talent, had a hard time sleeping when his status was unknown, so I appreciate hearing about the ordeal in his own words. I couldn't help imagining the worst. From Odenkirk's statements, it sounds like this day came pretty close to the worst.
Odenkirk says a former armed forces medic named Rosa Estrada performed CPR on him when he collapsed. "She did it right, she broke my ribs, the way you're supposed to," he says, before adding that three people ended up performing CPR on him for a total of 12 minutes straight. Meanwhile, the bystanders ran an AED device that jump-started Odenkirk's heart. Apparently, it only got back into rhythm on the third try. The actor seems totally optimistic, explaining that he ended up getting stents put in and is "doing great." I'll admit, this is a very overwhelming story to hear — and I'm sure was even more overwhelming for his co-stars to witness. But above all else, I'm so happy the beloved actor is here to tell it.
"Better Call Saul" season 6 will premiere on Monday, April 18, 2022 on AMC. The April 2022 issue of Empire magazine will hit shelves Thursday, February 17, 2022.