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- Breaking Bad's cast members have amassed significant wealth, with Bryan Cranston, the lead actor, having an estimated net worth between $30 million and $40 million.
- Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, has an estimated net worth between $20 million and $30 million, due in large part to the success of Breaking Bad.
- Bob Odenkirk, known for his role as Saul Goodman, has a net worth of $16 million, earned through his acting and producing career.
Objectively one of the most groundbreaking and ambitious projects on television to date, Breaking Bad revolves mainly around the remarkable metamorphosis of a high school chemistry teacher, Walter White.
Breaking Bad's cast was a massive part of its incredible success, and its actors have gone on to work on projects both in and outside the show's universe.
When Breaking Bad begins, Bryan Cranston's Walter White is compelled to graduate from his poorly compensated job as a chemistry teacher to a large-scale methamphetamine producer, as he partners up with one of his former students, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul).
The series is a riveting exploration of how desperation could turn a mild-mannered family man into a drug magnate in an instant, with an ever more blurry line between whether Walter's hand has been forced by fate, or if his evolution reveals more of who he truly is at his core.
Initially, Walter's motivation solely hinged on his financial situation after he was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer, and his determination to ensure his wife and son would be secure as he planned for his eventual death.
According to one report, Breaking Bad generated a total haul of $2.9 billion during its initial run from 2008 through 2013, "through revenue from advertising, merchandise sales, streaming rights, and DVD sales."
On the other hand, Variety reported in June 2010 that Breaking Bad cost approximately $3 million per episode to make ($4.2 million when adjusted for inflation).
Let's look at Breaking Bad's cast and their estimated net worths today.
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Ten years after it drew to a close, we're looking back at the cast of 24, and examining their current net worths.10 David Costabile (Gale Boetticher)
David Costabile's Net Worth (Estimated): $6 Million
"Wags" – as he is well known to fans of the drama Billions – is a versatile actor with a fantastic range.
It's easy to overlook David Costabile on this list, as screen time for his Breaking Bad role as Gale Boetticher was limited (but impactful). But Costabile in fact ranks tenth.
Before starring in AMC's Breaking Bad, David worked on popular big name shows such as The Wire, The Office, and Damages.
It would also be remiss to discuss Costabile without mentioning his star turn in Billions (from 2016 to the present), which has garnered him significant acclaim and money in the industry.
David Costabile has an estimated net worth of $6 million, and remains popular in Hollywood.
9 Krysten Ritter (Jane Margolis)
Krysten Ritter's Net Worth (Estimated): $8 Million
Krysten Ritter is a well-known actor who went on to headline Marvel's Jessica Jones after Breaking Bad wrapped.
Ritter got her start modeling at the Wyoming Valley Mall when she was fifteen. Before starring in AMC's Breaking Bad, she had already established herself in the film business with her role as Tracy Warren on Law And Order and landed a few more minor appearances in other films.
It's no secret that the Breaking Bad series catapulted several of its major cast members into the spotlight, and Krysten was no exception. Given her widespread acclaim, she delved deeper into the film industry.
She solidified her newly found fame and fortune with the aforementioned Jessica Jones, for which she was rated TV Line's Performer of the Week (2015) and took home the Webby Awards' "Special Achievement: Best Actress."
As of 2024, Ritter's net worth is estimated at $8 million.
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Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj, two artists on this list, appear to be involved in an escalating beef.8 Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut)
Jonathan Banks' Net Worth (Estimated): $8 Million
Actor Jonathan Banks is 77, and he has been in the film industry quite a while, providing us with thrilling performances on which to feast our eyes on from the start.
Banks has acted in several films, including Reign Over Me, Proud American, and even in an episode of CSI. Still, Banks came to far larger fame as Mike Ehrmantraut in the television series Breaking Bad.
Banks has been nominated for numerous accolades and has won several, including the Saturn Award for "Best Supporting Actor On Television."
Banks amassed wealth through his acting profession and investments, and his net worth is estimated at $8 million.
7 Giancarlo Esposito (Gustavo/Gus Fring)
Giancarlo Esposito's Net Worth (Estimated): $8 Million
Giancarlo Esposito is undoubtedly an inspiration to many actors of color, and his climb to popularity in the film industry was a sight to behold.
The 65-year-old Esposito is the son of a carpenter from Italy, and an opera singer from Alabama.
In 1988, he starred in the film Spike Lee's School Daze, which would become his breakout film and propel him into the spotlight. Esposito fatefully landed a role on Breaking Bad, debuting in the eleventh episode of the second season.
Esposito played the role of Chilean drug kingpin Gustavo (Gus) Fring and, oh, did he play it to perfection, earning him well-deserved nominations for Critics' Choice Television Awards and Primetime Emmys.
Esposito recently speculated about his own Breaking Bad spin-off like Bob Odenkirk's Better Call Saul, and he is slated to again star in an AMC production, Parish, in March:
Esposito has amassed (and continues to amass) wealth through his career and massive talent, and his net worth is estimated at $8 million.
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With seven movies and an iconic cast, Tom Cruise's high-octane espionage adventure has been lucrative for its stars.6 Anna Gunn (Skyler White)
Anna Gunn's Net Worth (Estimated): $9 Million To $10 Million
Actress Anna Gunn had a lot of screen time before her breakout role as Walter's wife Skyler White on Breaking Bad, which launched her into the spotlight.
Prior to Breaking Bad, Gunn portrayed Jean Ward in The Practice (from 1997 to 2002) and Martha Bullock in Deadwood (2004 to 2006), two of her early roles.
Despite enduring major health issues in the show's later seasons, Gunn's work on Breaking Bad was widely lauded, and TheThings said of her career after the blockbuster show drew to a close:
"After the end of Breaking Bad, Gunn landed the main role in Gracepoint in 2014 and Shades of Blue in 2017. She also starred in Deadwood: The Movie, and Sully. Outside of screen work, Gunn also took to the stage, starring in the David Schwimmer-directed production of Sex With Strangers."
Gunn received a Primetime Emmy for "Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series" in 2013 and 2014 for portraying Skyler White on Breaking Bad, and her net worth is estimated at between $9 million and $10 million.
5 Bill Burr (Patrick Kuby)
Bill Burr's Net Worth (Estimated): $14 Million
An iconic comedian and actor who played the role of Breaking Bad's Patrick Kuby, Bill Burr is in fifth place on this list, with an estimated net worth of $14 million.
Burr joined the Breaking Bad cast around the end of the fourth season, but before that, he had been active both in film and as a stand-up comedian.
Bill gained further recognition through his comedy podcast, Monday Morning Podcast, where he tends to sprinkle a bit of observational comedy across his hilarious narratives, especially on controversial topics.
The multi-talented Bill Burr's net worth is estimated at around $14 million in 2024.
4 Jesse Plemons (Todd Alquist)
Jesse Plemons Net Worth (Estimated): $15 Million To $17 Million
Given that he was a minor character in the AMC series Breaking Bad, it would be easy to expect Texas native Jesse Plemons wouldn't make the list.
But Plemons came to the cast of Breaking Bad with a lengthy list of film credits. Jesse became prominent primarily as Landry Clarke on Friday Night Lights.
Plemons (like his wife, Kirsten Dunst) has been in the industry since he was a child, starting with commercial roles for Coca-Cola, and moving into bigger roles. Plemons has been busy since the end of Breaking Bad, appearing in the in-universe film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, as well as on HBO's Love & Death.
Jesse Plemons has an estimated net worth of $15 million, and no shortage of projects coming his way.
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It's been over a decade since "Deathly Hallows," let's look at the Harry Potter cast's net worths.3 Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman)
Bob Odenkirk's Net Worth (Estimated): $16 Million
Bob Odenkirk is a beloved actor, particularly for his role as Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad, and as the titular character in the acclaimed spin-off, Better Call Saul.
Odenkirk was well established as a magnificent actor and comic before his work on Breaking Bad, which brought him to even broader prominence. Odenkirk contributed to Saturday Night Live from 1987 to 1991, and The Ben Stiller Show in 1992, earning an Emmy for "Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series."
After stacking up riches and fame from his role as the slick yet highly skilled criminal defense lawyer Saul Goodman, he joined the team of producers on the Better Call Saul series.
As of 2024, Bob Odenkirk's net worth is estimated at $16 million.
2 Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman)
Aaron Paul's Net Worth (Estimated): $20 Million To $30 Million
Aaron Paul brought Jesse Pinkman to life on the show, and it's no secret that his rise to widespread popularity came from his role in Breaking Bad.
For his portrayal of the complex yet good natured character of Jesse, he won several awards, including the Critics' Choice Television Award for "Best Supporting Actor In A Drama Series" (2014) and several Primetime Emmys for "Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series" (in 2010, 2012, and 2014).
Paul continued Jesse Pinkman's story in the Better Call Saul spin-off, and the 2019 Netflix original El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Aaron Paul's net worth is estimated to be between $20 million and $30 million as of 2024.
1 Bryan Cranston (Walter White)
Bryan Cranston's Net Worth (Estimated): $30 Million To $40 Million
It seems fitting that the lead actor among the Breaking Bad cast should be at the top of the list, but Bryan Cranston's success is not entirely the result of this life-changing role.
Before starring in Breaking Bad, Cranston was well known, perhaps most notably as the bumbling but sweet henpecked husband Hal in Malcolm In The Middle.
Even then, his role as Walter White on the Breaking Bad cast catapulted him to further fame.
He has received numerous honors, including Emmys for "Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series" in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2014 and a Golden Globe for "Best Actor In A Television Series" in 2013.
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Let's look at the Prison Break cast's net worths today, and see how much the breakout hit added to their commissaries.After the series ended, Cranston continued to find success in films such as Godzilla and in All The Way, for which he won a Tony Award after he starred in the stage version, before reprising his role in the film adaptation.
Cranston has acquired quite a fortune for himself (even if his Heisenberg money is still buried beneath the soil of New Mexico). Forbes added him to their "Celebrity 100" list in 2014.
As of 2024, Bryan Cranston's net worth is estimated at between $30 million and $40 million.
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