Bronze statues of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) of Breaking Bad fame were put on display yesterday in the Albuquerque Convention Center. Both stars were in attendance for the ceremony with other members of the Breaking Bad family, as was Mayor Tim Keller. The statues were sculpted by artist Trevor Grove and cast by American Fine Arts Foundry.
The beautiful statues depict White and Pinkman in fine detail. White is firmly in his Heisenberg phase, with the pose and expressions of both in line with several stills that were used in promotional materials for the show. Given the look of both, it's also abundantly clear that this would have been from one of the show's latter seasons. The fine details of both the expressions and the outfits of the characters is uncanny, and both Grove and American Fine Arts Foundry have done a tremendous job.
Cranston and Paul were reunited at the ceremony with ASAC Hank Schrader himself, Dean Norris. Hank is Walt's brother-in-law, as the husband of Skyler's (Anna Gunn) sister, Marie (Betsy Brandt). Several Better Call Saul cast members were at the event as well in Michael Mando, Patrick Fabian, and Rhea Seehorn. The three play Ignacio "Nacho" Varga, Howard Hamlin, and Kim Wexler, respectively. Ironically, every cast member in the cast photo has appeared or will appear in the prequel series, with the appearances of Walt and Jesse yet to occur. The creator of both programs, Vince Gilligan, was also in attendance.
The timing of this ceremony couldn't be more perfect, with Better Call Saul currently wrapping its run. The prequel series first premiered in 2015, having run for six seasons. Star Bob Odenkirk wasn't at the ceremony, though he surely sent his warmest regards via his primary Saul co-stars. The city of Albuquerque has been integral to both shows, serving as the primary filming location.
Breaking Bad is without a doubt one of the most iconic television series of recent memory. The drama earned 58 Primetime Emmy Nominations across its five seasons, winning 16. Outstanding Drama Series was bestowed on the show in both 2013 and 2014 for its final season. Cranston earned Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times, with the role of White solidifying his versatility as an actor following most audiences recognizing him as bumbling father Hal Wilkerson in the family comedy Malcolm in the Middle. Paul won Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times.
Better Call Saul's final season continues to air its final episodes on AMC on Mondays. Check out some more photos of the statues and ceremony below.
Check out the trailer for Season 6 of Better Call Saul down below.