AFI Fest: Bob Odenkirk Talks Nebraska, Acting, and Writing

At the Nebraska AFI Film Festival premiere this week, I caught up with Bob Odenkirk. The actor, best known for his role as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad, plays Ross Grant in the film. The movie also stars Will Forte and Bruce Dern and is directed by Alexander Payne.

Odenkirk has had quite a year on the festival circuit; also promoting the Sundance hit The Spectacular Now. “I have had the best year of anybody! I beat George Clooney! I beat everybody this year with great roles! Saul Goodman. The Spectacular Now and Nebraska. This is a great, great film and I can’t believe I snuck into it.”

I point out what a small world it is, given both Odenkirk has written for Saturday Night Live and Will Forte was a cast member.  “Well I love Will Forte and we’ve worked together before. I think he’s an incredibly sweet guy and he gets to play an incredibly sweet guy in this movie, a really warm and kind and forgiving person and that’s what Will is like. And he’s a lot of fun too, funny.”

Working with legendary actors like Bruce Dern and Bryan Cranston, I had to know what they taught him about acting. “You know, it’s funny, Bruce Dern and Bryan Cranston are two of the top actors I’ve ever seen in my life. Watching them work is an interesting way to think about acting, to see them do the job, some part of you recognizes that’s how it’s done. You see them surrender the real world around them and just allow the world of the character to fill their space. It’s like a little bit of a magic trick, or almost like hypnosis that they’re doing on themselves. “

I ask if he’s seen other movies at the Chinese Theater and if it will be weird to see himself on the big screen. “I’ve seen many films here and you’re right, I don’t think I’ve ever seen myself in a film here! So that will be weird. It’ll be a treat.”

We’re all anticipating the spinoff Better Call Saul, but I’m curious if Odenkirk will get back to his writing chops. “I have a book coming out in October called “A Load of Hooey,” short comic pieces I’ve written. I have a couple movies I’ve written, but we’re not making them yet. We’ll see!”

Nebraska is in theaters November 15^th!