Bob Odenkirk Recalls Scary Details of His On-Set Heart Attack

Bob Odenkirk is opening up for the first time about just how serious his on-set heart attack was and how his Better Call Saul co-stars helped save his life. The beloved actor, 59, was rushed to the hospital on July 27 after collapsing on the set of his award-winning show, and to The New York Times, Odenkirk credited his decision not to go back to his trailer after a long day of shooting with possibly saving his life.

Going instead to an area near his co-stars, Odenkirk recalled, “I went to play the Cubs game and ride my workout bike, and I just went down,” Odenkirk said. Rhea Seehorn immediately came to his aid, and later told him he had “started turning bluish-gray right away.” Seehorn and co-star Patrick Fabian called for help immediately, and the on-set health safety supervisor and one of the assistant directors began performing CPR as medics rushed to the area.

Using an automated defibrillator, it took three total shocks to bring Odenkirk’s heart rhythm back before he could be rushed to the hospital. The Breaking Bad star had been aware of an ongoing heart issue for several years, despite staying in good shape, telling the Times, “I’d known since 2018 that I had this plaque buildup in my heart.” 

Over the years, different doctors had given different kinds of advice on treatment, and Odenkirk said he was taking a more conservative option before looking at a treatment option that would include beginning a medication regimen. When one of those pieces of plaque in the actor’s heart broke off, that ultimately led to the heart attack. When he got to the hospital, doctors had to access his heart through the veins of his wrist, where they “blew up the little balloons and knocked out that plaque and left stents in two places.”

Spending nearly two weeks in the hospital after stabilizing, Odenkirk broke his silence publicly in August about his health. “I am doing great,” he tweeted at the time. “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!”