Breaking Down The Breaking Bad Cast's Salaries Per Episode

Quick Links

• Bob Odenkirk

• Dean Norris

• Anna Gunn

• Aaron Paul

• Bryan Cranston

Highlights

• With each episode costing millions to produce, the Breaking Bad cast was well-compensated during their time on the genre-defining show.
• Bryan Cranston made $225,000 per episode, totaling $6.53 million for peak seasons.
• Anna Gunn received $75,000 per episode, amassing an estimated $4.57 million.

Breaking Bad etched itself into the annals of TV history as a seminal work in drama and suspense.

Created by Vince Gilligan and first debuting in 2008, the show follows the transformative and harrowing journey of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine manufacturing drug dealer.

Producing Breaking Bad was financially ambitious; the show cost $3 million per episode to produce, considerably higher than the average for a basic cable program.

By the final season, the production costs had escalated to approximately $6 million per episode.

Initially, the series faced challenges in attracting viewers, with the pilot episode drawing just about 1.4 million viewers.

This modest start, coupled with the impact of an ongoing writers' strike, meant that the first season drew a smaller viewership than expected.

However, the show's quality and word-of-mouth praise eventually led to a dramatic increase in viewership.

By its climactic finale, Breaking Bad reached over 10.3 million viewers, setting a record for the series.

The series has been lauded for its storytelling, character development, and moral quandaries, making it a subject of study and admiration across various demographics.

The ensemble Breaking Bad cast, led by Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and Anna Gunn (as Skyler White), contributed to the show's success, with their persuasive performances drawing viewers deeply into the narrative.

Today, we're looking at the per-episode earnings of the Breaking Bad cast.

Breaking Bank: The Breaking Bad Cast, Ranked By Net Worth

5 Bob Odenkirk

Salary Per Episode - $25,000

"Better Call Saul!" – those three words signaled the arrival of everyone's favorite morally flexible lawyer.

Bob Odenkirk brought Saul Goodman – the sleazy but resourceful attorney with a penchant for questionable advertising – to life.

Introduced in season three, Goodman quickly became a fan favorite for his sharp wit and willingness to bend the law (and sometimes common sense) for his clients.

Odenkirk's comedic timing and knack for delivering Saul's snappy one-liners were a major highlight.

Before Breaking Bad, Odenkirk had already made a name for himself as a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live, and the cult hit Mr. Show.

His breakout role in Breaking Bad launched his career even further, leading to the acclaimed spin-off Better Call Saul, which he headlined as the title character.

Although $25,000 per episode might seem low given his popularity, Odenkirk's massive success post-Breaking Bad has ballooned his net worth to an estimated $16 million.

The Billions Cast, Ranked By Real-Life Net Worth

4 Dean Norris

Salary Per Episode - $20,000

Dean Norris embodied the occasionally humorous DEA agent Hank Schrader.

Norris appeared in 51 episodes, where his character transitioned from a lighthearted narcotics detective to one of the key figures chasing the mysterious drug lord "Heisenberg," unaware that the kingpin was, in fact, his seemingly mild-mannered brother-in-law.

Norris's performance was widely acclaimed for adding depth and authenticity to the DEA agent persona.

One of the memorable aspects of his character was his hobby of brewing homemade beer, affectionately named "Schraderbrau."

This element of his role was so beloved that in 2019, Norris was involved in launching a real-life beer brand under the same name, enhancing his connection with the character.

Initially, Norris earned $20,000 per episode on Breaking Bad, decent compensation for the supporting Breaking Bad cast members at the time.

Today, Dean Norris enjoys an estimated net worth of approximately $3 million. After his run on Breaking Bad, Norris has continued to work steadily on television and in film.

The Mad Men Cast, Ranked By Salary Per Episode

3 Anna Gunn

Salary Per Episode - $75,000

Skyler White, Walter's wife, became a polarizing figure throughout Breaking Bad's run.

Anna Gunn masterfully portrayed Skyler's complex journey as she grappled with suspicion, fear, and the moral implications of her husband's actions.

Gunn herself described Skyler as "grounded, tough, smart and driven," a woman forced to navigate an impossible situation.

Gunn appeared in 61 episodes, earning $75,000 per episode, totaling approximately $4.57 million. While some viewers took a critical stance toward Skyler's choices, Gunn's performance garnered immense respect from critics.

Gunn was nominated three times for an Emmy in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series," winning twice, in both 2013 and 2014.

The Succession Cast, Ranked By Salary Per Episode

2 Aaron Paul

Salary Per Episode - $150,000

Aaron Paul played Jesse Pinkman, Walter White’s former student and eventual business partner, whose troubled background and moral struggles provided a crucial counterbalance to Cranston's character.

Paul's ability to infuse humor and tragedy into his portrayal added layers to a character that might otherwise have been dismissed as just another lost cause.

Initially, Paul’s casting was met with skepticism due to his youthful appearance and "pretty boy" demeanor, which seemed at odds with the gritty realities of meth production.

Paul's character was originally slated to be killed off in the first season.

However, Paul's on and off-screen chemistry with Cranston made the producers go in a different direction — one which changed the direction of the now-vaunted series.

Paul's performance earned him three Emmys in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series," in 2010, 2012, and 2014.

At the show's financial peak (during the final two seasons), Aaron Paul earned $150,000 per episode of Breaking Bad.

With 13 episodes in season four and 16 in the final season (five), Paul's earnings from these seasons alone amounted to $4.35 million.

Aaron Paul's net worth has grown substantially to $20 million, thanks in large part to his role on Breaking Bad, as well as subsequent projects in film and on television.

How Much Was The Cast Of Game Of Thrones Paid Per Episode?

1 Bryan Cranston

Salary Per Episode - $225,000

Bryan Cranston's transformational portrayal of Walter White, the high-school chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine producer, remains one of the most venerated performances in television history.

In Breaking Bad, Cranston depicted a character who starts off as a sympathetic figure – facing a terminal cancer diagnosis – who slowly evolves into the notorious drug kingpin known as "Heisenberg."

This layered character earned Cranston several awards, enhancing his stature in the entertainment industry.

Before Breaking Bad became a sensation, Cranston was already a familiar face on television, notably as Dr. Tim Whatley on Seinfeld, and, prominently, as Hal on Malcolm in the Middle.

The proximity of his portrayal of the hapless Hal and the eventually malicious Walter White was hilariously juxtaposed in a humorous "alternate ending" to Breaking Bad, included on the Breaking Bad: The Complete Series DVD box set.

In the scene, featuring his Malcolm In The Middle co-star Jane Kaczmarek, the entirety of Breaking Bad was framed as a particularly distressing dream of Hal's — recounted in lengthy detail to Kaczmarek's Lois:

At the height of the series, particularly in its peak seasons four and five, Cranston's compensation reached $225,000 per episode.

Given the 29 episodes across these seasons, he amassed approximately $6.53 million as the lead on the Breaking Bad cast.

Today, Cranston's work on Breaking Bad, combined with a long and successful career, has earned him an estimated net worth of $40 million.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmm6qVlriqusZmmZqcXZiutMCO