Bob Odenkirk Gives Fans Brief Health Update Following Heart Attack

Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk shared a brief health update on Twitter early Sunday morning, following his heart attack on July 27. Odenkirk was hospitalized after collapsing on the set of the Breaking Bad spinoff series and he later confirmed he suffered a “small heart attack.” In the new update, he said he was having an It’s A Wonderful Life moment by seeing how much people love him.

“I am doing great,” Odenkirk tweeted. “I’ve had my very own It’s A Wonderful Life week of people insisting I make the world slightly better. Wow! Thank you, I love everyone right now but let’s keep expectations reasonable!” He later tweeted a satirical article by his son Nate Odenkirk with the headline “Olympic Winners to Receive Metals.” Odenkirk, 58, added, “I want to see the ‘Men’s 100 meter Whistle and Skip!’”

Odenkirk was rushed to a New Mexico hospital after he collapsed at the Better Call Saul set. “Bob and his family would like to express gratitude for the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, as well as his cast, crew, and producers who have stayed by his side,” his representative told TMZ. His family also thanked his friends, fans, and colleagues for the “outpouring of well wishes.”

On July 30, Odenkirk broke his silence on the situation. He first thanked everyone for their “overwhelming” support. “I had a small heart attack. But I’m going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery,” Odenkirk wrote. “Also, AMC and [Sony’s] support and help throughout this has been next-level. I’m going to take a beat to recover but I’ll be back soon.”

Odenkirk stars as lawyer Saul Goodman on Better Call Saul, reprising his role from Breaking Bad. The show’s sixth and final season is now in production. Better Call Saul has earned as much critical acclaim as Breaking Bad, with Odenkirk earning four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Season 6 is expected to debut next year, but it is not known how Odenkirk’s health scare will affect the schedule.

AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan paid tribute to Odenkirk during the company’s second-quarter earnings call Friday, noting that the beloved actor is “someone who’s very close to us and our company.” AMC and its executives “have been lucky enough to know and work with Bob for a very long time,” Sapan said, reports Deadline. “It’s close to impossible to spend any time around Bob without developing [a] great appreciation for his talents and spirit and who he is as a person. We are so glad he’s on the mend and just wanted to pause and wish him all the best in his recovery, which is now underway.”