NBC
The sliding doors phenomenon is always a fun thought experiment to play, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to the career of Bob Odenkirk.
Now known for his iconic portrayal of Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Odenkirk used to be exclusively recognized for his comedic talents after his time working as a writer on Saturday Night Live and creating the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show alongside David Cross.
These days, Odenkirk has added action star to his resume as he’s gearing up to begin production on his hit 2021 action thriller Nobody.
Odenkirk’s eclectic and wildly successful career almost went down a much different path, however, as he famously auditioned for the role of Michael Scott on the American remake of The Office.
During a recent appearance on the Office Ladies podcast, hosted by former series stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, Odenkirk detailed why he thinks he lost out on the star-making part to Steve Carell.
“I am, in a strange way, a very earnest person for a person in comedy,” Odenkirk said. “I am oddly earnest… It’s one of the reasons I think Steve Carell is a better, you know — is the one who got the role.”
“There were other parts that I think I was up for that Steve got, and it’s because he’s better at being genuinely fun. I think I bring with me a little bit too much earnest seriousness, and it’s just kinda there. And there’s nothing I can do about it except play other roles where it’s helpful to have that. And, you know, you just don’t believe me as a purely light character. You just are looking for the darkness, and that’s actually great in drama. That’s a plus, you know? But in comedy, it’s not a plus.”
The Office premiered in 2005 and Breaking Bad premiered in 2008: had Odenkirk starred in The Office and the series was just as successful, there’s no way he would’ve been cast as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad. And if Odenkirk doesn’t play Goodman, then maybe Breaking Bad isn’t as successful. And if Breaking Bad isn’t as successful, maybe Better Call Saul never gets made. And that would be a devastating loss for television fans, so let’s be glad things worked out the way they did.