Breaking Bad Cast of Characters

Main Characters of Breaking Bad

Skyler White (Anna Gunn)

Skyler White is the moral compass missing in her husband, Walter White (Bryan Cranston). As Walt sinks deeper and deeper into the monster he is becoming, Skyler can no longer lie to herself and think everything is alright with her husband.

In the beginning, we are introduced to Skyler as a soon-to-be mother who learns that her husband is starting to keep things from her. She tracks down a mysterious phone which leads her to Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), a former student of Walt’s who she learns sells drugs to her husband. At least this is what he tells her.

As Walt gets deeper into his world of making crystal meth, Skyler finds herself more and more isolated from her husband. She is constantly worried about the mounting medical bills and at the same time is curious at how they keep getting paid. She eventually learns that Walt has a second cell phone which he keeps denying right up until his surgery where he lets slip that he has two phones.

No longer blind to her husband actions, Skyler wakes up from the web of lies thrown over her and begins to piece together all the holes in his stories, from his disappearances to where all the money is coming from. She confronts Walt with everything and he finally admits that he has been lying. Skyler decides to leave him and Walt asks her if he tells her the truth will she stay.

“Whatever it is,” she says. “I’m afraid to know.” Skyler drives away with the baby.

About the Actress

Growing up in Sante Fe, New Mexico, Anna Gunn is right at home working in the ABQ. She has had a very successful career which has traveled between television, film, and theater. Her first breakout performance came when she played Martha Bullock on HBO’s hit show Deadwood. Her extensive television credits include The Practice, Six Feet Under, ER, and Seinfeld.

Gunn has also appeared in several movies, including Nobody’s Baby, Without Evidence, and Enemy of the State. While she is known as the tough mother Skyler White, Anna Gunn is highly regarded stage actress where she has starred and created several roles for the theater. Her theater credits include Chicago, Peacekeeper, Measure for Measure, and The Beggar’s Opera.

Breaking Bad Cast of Characters

Main Characters of Breaking Bad

Walter White (Bryan Cranston)

As the main character of this hit AMC series, Walter White starts out as a middle-aged high-school chemistry teacher who learns that he has terminal lung cancer. This diagnosis changes the way Walt views his life. Once, a mild mannered guy who took whatever life dealt him, now he ponders how he will take care of his family after death. Now burdened with a new baby girl named Holly, his wife Skyler, and a teenage son named Walt Jr., he decides to use his knowledge of chemistry to manufacture and distribute a very pure from of crystal methamphetamine.

Allying himself with Jesse, a former student and junkie, they quickly embark in a career in the drug making business. Soon, they become known for having the highest-quality dope in the area which leads Walter downward in an ever spiraling world of harden criminals and crime.

Throughout Season One and Two of Breaking Bad, we get a glimpse at Walt’s world from the lies and deceptions he has to put on his family from his whereabouts to how he is funding his cancer treatment. Also, he has to deal with an ever increasing DEA investigation led by his wife’s sister’s husband Hank.

After dealing with several setbacks including an attempted blackmailing from Jesse’s drug-addicted girlfriend, Jane, Walt ends Season Two with his cancer in remission and enough cash to handle his expenses. But Skyler is tired of his lies and announces that she will leave him.

About the Actor

A California native, Bryan Lee Cranston has had a tremendous career as an actor, writer and director. He has won two Emmy awards for playing Walter White on Breaking Bad, and will probably be nominated again come the end of Season Three. Previously, he was known as the head patriarch, Hal, on the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Over the years, he has appeared in Seinfeld, King of Queens, and on How I Met Your Mother.

Cranston has also written and directed episodes of Breaking Bad.

Breaking Bad Cast of Characters

Main Characters of Breaking Bad

Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul)

If Walter White is the straight man of this duo, then Jesse Pinkman would be considered the jester. This drug addict is a completely incompetent lucky bastard in the fact that he has Walt as a mentor and the criminal genius between the two.

At the beginning, we learn that Jesse is a former student of Walt’s who never ever lived up to any potential that was saw in him from teachers and family. Jesse has become a forgotten mess of society, a wasted loser who ends up forming a partnership with his former chemistry teacher to smart making crystal meth. At first, this is a one time deal but after Walt’s need for cash increases due to expensive chemotherapy, these two enter a permanent partnership where Walt is the silent partner and Jesse is the “street.”

As the street component, Jesse is a constant failure that requires Walt’s constant intervention. Eventually, Jesse earns some street credibility when a rumor spreads that he killed a junkie for robbing on of his dealers, but this fame is short lived once the truth gets out.

Jesse eventually gets kicked out of his aunt’s house and ends up renting an apartment from Jane, a recovering drug addict. Eventually, the two fall in love and she relapses and ends up turning Jesse on to heroin.

With Jesse on a brand new bag, Walt has to handle the street part of the operation, but Jane is not happy and blackmails Walt for Jesse’s share of the deal.

Walt goes to confront them and finds Jane choking on her own vomit. He watches as she dies and leaves. Jesse wakes up and finds her dead. Thinking it is his fault, he calls Walt fro help and he checks his young protege into rehab.

About the Actor

Aaron Paul just might be one of the busiest young actors in Hollywood today. While nominated for a 2009 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in A Drama Series for his role as Jesse Pinkman on AMC’s series Breaking Bad, he will not only be reprising the role for a third season but also appears in Season 4 of HBO acclaimed series Big Love. He has also had guest appearances in Bones, Ghost Whisperer, Sleeper Cell, Veronica Mars, CSI, and X-Files.

Paul made his film debut with James Franco in Whatever It Takes. His film credits include K-Pax, Mission: Impossible lll, Last House on the Left, and Say Goodnight.