Bob Odenkirk reinvented himself entirely in his late 40s, transforming from a comedy writer into one of television’s most acclaimed dramatic actors. The 62-year-old entertainer nearly lost everything when his heart stopped on set in 2021, but he’s bounced back stronger than ever.
Biography
Robert John Odenkirk was born on October 22, 1962, in Berwyn, Illinois, and grew up in nearby Naperville as the second of seven children. His Catholic family had German and Irish roots, but his childhood wasn’t easy. His father, Walter, worked in printing but struggled with alcoholism, which led to his parents’ divorce when Bob was around nine. That experience shaped Bob’s decision to avoid alcohol himself.
Walter died of bone cancer in 1986, and Bob’s mother, Barbara, raised the kids as a single mum until her passing in 2021. Bob graduated from Naperville North High School at just 16, then attended several colleges, including Marquette University, before landing at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. There, he discovered his calling while working as a DJ at the college radio station WIDB, where he created a late-night comedy show. He left university three credits short of graduating to pursue comedy in Chicago, eventually completing his bachelor’s degree in communications from SIU in 1984.
Career
Bob’s professional career took off when he joined Saturday Night Live as a writer from 1987 to 1991. He created one of SNL’s most iconic characters, the Matt Foley motivational speaker (“living in a van down by the river”) for Chris Farley, earning a shared Emmy for Outstanding Writing in 1989. After winning another Emmy for The Ben Stiller Show in 1993, he co-created Mr. Show with Bob and David alongside David Cross from 1995 to 1998, establishing his reputation in comedy circles.
Everything changed in 2009 when Bob joined Breaking Bad as sleazy lawyer Saul Goodman. What was supposed to be a brief appearance turned into television gold, ultimately launching the spin-off Better Call Saul in 2015.
Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul ran for six seasons and 63 episodes, concluding on August 15, 2022, with a nearly 90-minute finale that received near-unanimous critical acclaim. Bob earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor but never won, as the show became one of television’s most notable snubs, with 53 to 55 Emmy nominations but zero wins. However, he collected three Critics’ Choice Awards, five Golden Globe nominations, and a SAG Award.
Bob started at $150,000 per episode in season one, jumping to $200,000 by the final season. Combined with his producer credits, his total earnings from the show exceeded $8.6 million in base salary alone. On April 18, 2022, he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next to Bryan Cranston’s.
On July 27, 2021, Bob collapsed on the Better Call Saul set in Albuquerque. His heart stopped for 18 minutes as co-stars Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian held him while he turned bluish-grey. Health safety supervisor Rosa Estrada, a former military medic, administered CPR alongside assistant director Angie Meyer. It took three defibrillator shocks to restore his heartbeat, followed by emergency surgery to place two stents in blocked arteries.
Bob later admitted he’d ignored his doctor’s 2018 advice to start statins despite knowing about plaque buildup. He credits his physical training for Nobody with saving his life; the exercise had enlarged veins around his heart, allowing more blood flow during CPR. After about a week in the hospital and five weeks of recovery, he returned to the set on September 8, 2021.
Nobody
Nobody (2021) represented a complete career departure. Written by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad, the film featured Bob as Hutch Mansell, an unassuming family man hiding a violent past. After two years of intensive training, he deliberately maintained his everyman physique. Made for just $16 million, Nobody earned $57.5 million worldwide and scored 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, with Bob reportedly receiving approximately $1 million upfront plus backend participation.
Nobody 2 was released on August 15, 2025, with Sharon Stone as the villain, and grossed $41.6 million on a $25 million budget.
Since Better Call Saul wrapped, Bob’s stayed busy. He starred in Lucky Hank for AMC in 2023 as a disillusioned English professor, though the show was cancelled after one season despite 93% Rotten Tomatoes approval. His guest appearance in The Bear’s “Fishes” episode earned him an Emmy nomination, and he called it “the greatest experience since’ Better Call Saul.
In a surprising move, Bob made his Broadway debut in David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross from March through June 2025. Playing Shelly Levene opposite Kieran Culkin and Bill Burr, he helped break the Palace Theatre’s weekly gross record at $2.4 million and earned his first Tony Award nomination.
His next film, Normal, written again by Derek Kolstad, premieres April 17, 2026, featuring Bob as a temporary sheriff uncovering a criminal conspiracy. It’s getting Magnolia Pictures’ widest release ever at 2,000 theatres.
Personal Life
Bob married producer and talent manager Naomi Yomtov in 1997 after meeting at the UnCabaret comedy club in West Hollywood. She reportedly told her roommates, “I know which man I’m going to marry” after seeing him perform. They’ve been together for 27 years now, with Naomi co-owning Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment and managing Bob’s career. She’s credited with convincing him to take the Saul Goodman role and discovering Bill Hader. Before Naomi, Bob dated fellow writer and actress Janeane Garofalo from 1995 to 1996.
Their son Nathan “Nate” Odenkirk, born December 3, 1998, graduated from DePaul University in 2021 and works as a comedy writer in Los Angeles. He’s a regular contributor to The New Yorker and co-created the Audible Original Summer in Argyle with his father. Daughter Erin Odenkirk, born November 24, 2000, graduated from Pratt Institute and works as an illustrator in Brooklyn. The family collaborated on Zilot & Other Important Rhymes in October 2023, a children’s poetry collection with Bob’s poems and Erin’s illustrations.
Interestingly, Bob appeared on PBS’s Finding Your Roots in January 2025 and discovered he’s an 11th cousin to King Charles III. He also has mild colour blindness, which meant he needed help from the Better Call Saul costume department to pick colours for Saul’s famously garish outfits.
Net Worth
Bob Odenkirk’s net worth is estimated at $16 to $17 million, thanks to four decades of work in sketch comedy, prestige television, and film. In April 2020, he launched Cal-Gold Pictures with a first-look deal at Sony Pictures Television. His memoir Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama became a New York Times bestseller in 2022.
His property holdings are substantial. His current primary residence is a 1940s Spanish-style Hollywood Hills home purchased in 2015 for $3.3 million, featuring canyon views, a pool, and 2,827 square feet. His earlier mid-century home in the same area, bought in 1998 for $675,455, sold in 2014 for $2.45 million. He also owns a Bronson Canyon investment property bought in 2010 for $675,000, a West Village one-bedroom co-op, and, most recently, a Clinton Hill, Brooklyn co-op purchased in June 2025 for $1.3 million near his daughter Erin’s alma mater.