As the home of one of the most revered TV series of recent times, Albuquerque has quite the legacy. The city, which was used as the setting for both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has unveiled two new bronze statues of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman
The sculptures – recently unveiled at the Albuquerque Convention Centre – were created by Trevor Grove and commissioned by Breaking Bad co-creator Vince Gilligan. They were intended as a gift to the town, which was used to film both Breaking Bad and the popular spin-off series Better Call Saul.
Both Bryan Cranston (White) and Aaron Paul (Pinkman) attended the unveiling and spoke about the impact the TV series has had on their lives and careers: “I auditioned for Breaking Bad, and it completely changed my life,” Paul began. “So thank you so much, thank you to Albuquerque — my God, we were here for seven years on and off. It was such a huge part of my life; it still is.”
Cranston went on to add: “We’re delighted, slightly embarrassed to have statues. There’s no preparation for saying you’re getting a statue. I’m just rather grateful that it’s indoors so that the pigeons won’t crap on our heads.”
Albuquerque’s Mayor, Tim Keller, spoke about the positive economic impact Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have had on the city. Since the BB cast and crew first arrived, Albuquerque has raked in an estimated $400 million in production and tourism fees.
The statues have been unveiled ahead of the season finale of Better Call Saul, which Gilligan previously said would feature crossover cameos by White and Pinkman. Of the episode, which is titled ‘Breaking Bad’, the co-creator said: “This coming Monday night, if you happen to be watching the AMC network — and thanks to them as well — you might just see these two on the next Better Call Saul.”
