Warning: This article discusses topics of suicide.

Breaking Bad’s Saul Goodman is a prominent character in the world of television, but many don’t realize that four different actors have portrayed him. Saul Goodman, or Jimmy McGill, is one of the best characters from the Breaking Bad universe. The Albuquerque lawyer may be shifty, but audiences consistently fall in love with Saul Goodman time and time again.

Goodman is also the star of two spin-offs that are set throughout the Breaking Bad timeline, Better Call Saul and Slippin’ Jimmy, which expands his backstory further. The small details in Better Call Saulprovide more context to how the once sweet Jimmy McGill turns into the suspicious Saul Goodman, whereas Slippin’ Jimmy treats viewers to his strange adventures in animated form. Although Bob Odenkirk is best known for playing the legendary Saul Goodman, there are actually three other actors who also play the character.

4Bob Odenkirk

The Original And Best Known Saul Goodman

Bob Odenkirk is the first of the four actors who have played Saul Goodman, and he is who audiences think of when the character’s name is mentioned. Odenkirk makes his debut as Goodman in the Breaking Bad season 2 episode “Better Call Saul.” The actor’s career has been plentiful since his start writing for Saturday Night Live in the ‘80s, and he’s proved himself just as talented in both comedic and dramatic roles.

Odenkirk is known for creating and starring in Mr. Show with Bob and David. He is also remembered for playing Ross in Nebraska, Arthur Hobbs in How I Met Your Mother, and Robert March in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women.

The iconic TV character was originally written as a minor role, but Goodman is later promoted to a series regular. However, it’s no surprise that Bob Odenkirk’s Breaking Bad role became permanent, thanks to the actor’s charm, quick wit, and general understanding of the character. Whether he’s offering Walter White and Jesse Pinkman legal advice or reflecting on his upbringing and the events that led him to become Goodman, Odenkirk adapts to the context beautifully.

In both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul , Odenkirk’s comic timing is stellar. He is amazing at layering humor into Goodman’s mannerisms, but when he needs to be somber, the actor switches the tone with ease. Saul Goodman’s best quotes are a perfect mix of funny and dramatic, which shines a light on the complexities of the character.

Odenkirk is frequently celebrated for his performances in Breaking Bad ’s spin-off, which have earned the actor six Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, but especially in Better Call Saul’s season 6 ending. The show’s exciting climax sees Odenkirk at his best, and it is a brilliant way to wrap up the character’s story. “Saul Gone” is one of the best Better Call Saul episodes. The black-and-white sequences show Goodman embracing the remaining parts of Jimmy inside him, which allows Odenkirk to demonstrate how powerful an actor he is.

3Blake Bertrand

Teenage Jimmy From Better Call Saul

Blake Bertrand plays a 13-year-old Jimmy McGill in the Better Call Saul season 2 episode “Inflatable.” The young actor has loaned his voice to the animated TV show Gravity Falls, and he is also the brother of Cobra Kai’s Jacob Bertrand. Bertrand appears in a flashback scene, in which he is avoiding working in his father’s store and spots a customer trying to steal from the till, which ends up being a defining moment in Better Call Saul.

Bertrand’s performance, while limited, marks a memorable moment in Jimmy’s life and plays a part in him becoming Saul Goodman. The conman tells Jimmy that he needs to figure out whether he is one of the “wolves [or] sheep in this world,” which is a hint to his fate as the sleazy lawyer. Although this is only a brief scene, it’s fascinating how these small details impact Jimmy’s journey.

2Cole Whitaker

Child Jimmy From Better Call Saul

An even younger Jimmy, this time only five years old, appears in another flashback scene in the Better Call Saul season 3 episode “Lantern.” This version of the character is portrayed by Cole Whitaker, who has since starred in Fear the Walking Dead as Tess and Ben’s son. In the opening scene of the episode, Jimmy camps in his backyard with Chuck, and the two read together by the light of a lantern.

Whitaker’s short appearance on-screen results in a sweet moment between the two brothers, but it also foreshadows the end of the episode. Chuck’s suicide in Better Call Saul season 3 is shocking, especially as he starts the fire that kills him with a lantern identical to the one from the flashback. Although Chuck is an adult when he dies, it’s hard not to think of the sweet child Jimmy reading with his brother when this happens.

1Sean Giambrone

The Animated Jimmy From Slippin’ Jimmy

In the second Breaking Bad spin-off, Slippin’ Jimmy, Sean Giambrone voices Jimmy McGill. While Giambrone’s voice acting career has got him roles in the likes of Solar Opposites, Adventure Time, and Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, the actor is best known for portraying Adam in the sitcom The Goldbergs .

Slippin’ Jimmy’s reviews are generally quite negative, mainly because there’s a massive shift in tone compared to Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, but Giambrone still does a decent job at bringing Jimmy’s adventures in 1970s Chicago to life. Even though the execution of the show isn’t great, and it feels rather rushed, Giambrone’s voice acting talents are one of its better qualities.