Bob Odenkirk Recalls Crew’s Delayed Reaction During His ‘Better Call Saul’ Heart Attack Scare

Actor Bob Odenkirk is opening up again about the terrifying heart attack he suffered while filming the final season of "Better Call Saul," revealing that some crew members first believed his co-stars were joking when he collapsed on set.
During a recent interview with The Times while promoting his action-comedy film "Normal," Odenkirk recalled the frightening moments that unfolded in 2021 during production in New Mexico at the height of the pandemic.
"I went down and Rhea [Seehorn] and Patrick [Fabian] 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."
The Emmy-winning actor explained that strict distancing rules on set made it harder for people to quickly understand what was happening, Variety reported. According to Odenkirk, the situation became even more serious before medical help arrived.
"I was gone. I turned gray," he said, sharing what others later told him after he woke up in the hospital. "Eventually the on-set medic showed up and he didn't know what to do. He'd never done CPR."
Bob Odenkirk Recalls Heart Attack on 'Better Call Saul' Set: 'I Was Gone. I Turned Gray' https://t.co/cetqZp4PI6
— Variety (@Variety) May 16, 2026
Bob Odenkirk Says He Remembers Nothing After Collapse
Odenkirk also admitted he has no memory of the actual incident. Unlike many people who describe near-death experiences, he said he remembered nothing between collapsing and leaving the hospital days later.
"A lot of people get that wonderful reel of film of their life, or they have a person who says, 'Do you want to go back?' None of that for me," he explained. "The first memory I have is leaving the hospital a week after I got there."
According to Deadline, the actor collapsed on the set of the hit Breaking Bad prequel in July 2021 and was rushed to a nearby hospital. His representatives later confirmed he had suffered a heart attack caused by a blockage in an artery. Doctors were able to treat the issue without surgery, and Odenkirk returned to filming just over a month later.
Since then, the actor has made several lifestyle changes, including improving his diet and taking medication to help manage his heart health. He previously shared that doctors had discovered plaque buildup in his heart years earlier, but the condition remained stable until part of the plaque broke loose.
Even after the frightening experience, Odenkirk said surviving the ordeal changed his outlook on life in a meaningful way.
"That was such a gift," he said of his recovery. "I felt just very, very delighted and engaged."
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