Yahoo Finance Which star of TV's Breaking Bad is the richest today?
What the stars of Breaking Bad are worth today
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AMC's gritty crime drama Breaking Bad chronicled the story of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned crime kingpin.
Running for five seasons between 2008 and 2013, the hit series won 16 Emmy awards – not to mention 58 nominations – and catapulted its talented cast, including Bryan Cranston, Bob Odenkirk, and Anna Gunn, to fame and fortune.
But which of the show's actors is worth the most in 2024? Read on to find out and discover what some of the stars of Breaking Bad got up to after the series wrapped. All dollar amounts in US dollars.
RJ Mitte: $3 million (£2.4m)
AMC
RJ Mitte rose to fame as Walter "Flynn" White Jr, the teenage son of protagonist Walter White.
Like his character in the series, Mitte has cerebral palsy and the star has actively sought out roles that allow him to educate others about the condition.
Mitte was just 13 years old when he auditioned for his breakout role in Breaking Bad. The fledgling actor had previously appeared uncredited in an episode of Disney's Hannah Montana in 2007.
RJ Mitte: $3 million (£2.4m)
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Since Breaking Bad wrapped for the last time, Mitte has flexed his acting chops in a diverse range of projects, such as the 2017 horror movie Final Recall (also known as The Recall) and the heartwarming 2019 comedy Standing Up for Sunny.
Most notably, he executive produced and starred in the 2021 movie Triumph, which chronicles the journey of a high school student striving to make it as a wrestler despite having cerebral palsy.
Mitte has several upcoming projects in the pipeline, including the psychological thriller Issac, which also stars Dove Cameron.
His estimated total fortune is a cool $3 million (£2.4m).
Betsy Brandt: $4 million (£3.2m)
AMC
Betsy Brandt played Marie Schrader, the neurotic sister-in-law of Walter White.
She appeared in every season of the hit series and returned to the character again in an episode of Better Call Saul.
The actress made her debut in the 1998 short film Confidence. Before landing her part in Breaking Bad, she'd cut her teeth in a variety of small screen hits, including ER, Without a Trace, and The Practice.
Betsy Brandt: $4 million (£3.2m)
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After Breaking Bad, Brandt landed movie roles in the likes of comedy flick Mothers of the Bride and Claire in Motion.
She's mostly stuck to the small screen, enjoying starring roles in shows such as Parenthood, Masters of Sex, and Life in Pieces. More recently, she appeared in the Hulu thriller Saint X, released in 2023.
Brandt is estimated to be worth a respectable $4 million (£3.2m).
Dean Norris: $5 million (£4m)
AMC
Dean Norris played DEA agent Hank Schrader, the brother-in-law of Walter White.
Some reports suggest that Norris took home a phenomenal $225,000 (£185k) per episode in the final season of Breaking Bad, marking a significant increase from the $20,000 (£16k) per episode he supposedly earned in earlier seasons.
Already a veteran actor before joining the hit series, Norris made his debut in the 1985 TV movie Blind Alleys.
He'd also appeared in blockbuster movies such as Lethal Weapon 2 and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, while his small-screen credits included NYPD Blue and 24.
Dean Norris: $5 million (£4m)
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Norris reprised his role as fan-favourite Hank in two episodes of Better Call Saul in 2020.
After Breaking Bad ended, he landed parts in the 2019 horror movie Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. He also appeared in TV shows Scandal and Superstore.
Norris was most recently seen in the TV series Law & Order: Organized Crime in 2023. He has plenty of new projects in the pipeline, including Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2.
His estimated total fortune is a neat $5 million (£4m).
Giancarlo Esposito: $8 million (£6.3m)
AMC
Giancarlo Esposito played cunning restaurateur-turned-drug lord Gustavo "Gus" Fring.
As well as earning him an Emmy nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2012, Esposito reportedly took home a cool $65,000 (£52k) per episode for his work on the series.
An established actor long before joining the cast of Breaking Bad, Esposito made his screen debut back in 1979 with a minor role in the sports drama Running.
He'd also flexed his acting chops in hit movies such as Malcolm X and Ali and appeared in popular TV shows like Law & Order and Bones.
Giancarlo Esposito: $8 million (£6.3m)
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Esposito delighted fans by reprising the role of Gus in the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul between 2017 and 2022, landing two Emmy nominations for his work on the prequel series.
More recently, he's had roles in the superhero show The Boys and Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian.
Esposito currently voices the villainous Lex Luthor in the animated Harley Quinn series. The booked and busy star has numerous high-profile movies in the pipeline, including the hotly-anticipated Francis Ford Coppola blockbuster Megalopolis and the horror flick MaXXXine.
Sources regarding the actor's net worth vary, although most estimates peg his fortune in the region of $8 million (£6.3m).
Jonathan Banks: $8 million (£6.3m)
AMC
Jonathan Banks played grumpy hitman Mike Ehrmantraut in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
His role in the former earned him an Emmy nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2013, while his performance in the latter landed him four additional nominations between 2015 and 2019.
The veteran actor initially made his TV debut back in 1976, appearing in an episode of the Western drama How the West Was Won.
His long list of credits prior to Breaking Bad includes the 80s classics Gremlins and Beverly Hills Cop, and small screen hits like The Waltons and ER.
Jonathan Banks: $8 million (£6.3m)
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Outside of Better Call Saul, Banks would reprise the character of Mike once again in 2019's El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
He's recently found plenty of other gigs to sink his teeth into, including vocal roles in Disney's Tangled: The Series and DC's Catwoman: Hunted.
The star, now in his 70s, shows no signs of slowing down and will soon star in the upcoming movie The Damaged (which he also wrote).
Estimates regarding Banks's net worth vary depending on where you look, but most put his total fortune at around $8 million (£6.3m).
Anna Gunn: $9 million (£7.1m)
AMC
Anna Gunn played Skyler, Walter White's wife.
As well as reportedly earning her $75,000 (£62k) per episode, Gunn's stellar performance in Breaking Bad also saw her win two Emmy awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Gunn first launched her career back in 1992, with an appearance in the sci-fi series Quantum Leap.
Before landing her role as Skyler, she'd also had small parts in a number of other popular TV shows, including Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, and Law & Order.
Anna Gunn: $9 million (£7.1m)
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival
Since Breaking Bad wrapped, Gunn has continued to work steadily on the small screen. Her credits include sitcom The Mindy Project, legal drama Criminal Minds, and the made-for-TV flick Deadwood: The Movie.
Most recently, Gunn has landed roles in the TV shows Most Dangerous Game and Physical.
She's also set to appear in the upcoming sci-fi TV series Sugar. While details about the project are scarce, other stars involved include Amy Ryan and Massi Furlan, with Colin Farrell both acting in and producing the show.
Anna Gunn's estimated net worth is an impressive $9 million (£7.1m) today.
Bob Odenkirk: $16 million (£12.7m)
AMC
Bob Odenkirk played shady criminal lawyer Saul Goodman and reportedly made $100,000 (£82k) per episode at the peak of Breaking Bad's popularity.
Odenkirk was already an established actor and screenwriter before joining the series, having debuted in the 1980s comedy series Cableville, USA.
He'd also written and starred in various Saturday Night Live sketches and had appeared in funny flicks such as Wayne's World 2 and The Cable Guy.
Bob Odenkirk: $16 million (£12.7m)
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Odenkirk's Breaking Bad character later landed his own spin-off series, the aforementioned Better Call Saul, which ran between 2015 and 2022.
As well as receiving 13 Emmy nominations for his work as an actor and producer on the hit show, he was also reportedly banking $200,000 (£164k) per episode by its final season.
The sought-after star landed the lead role in the 2021 action movie Nobody and recently appeared in Hulu's acclaimed TV series The Bear.
His estimated total fortune is thought to be a substantial $16 million (£12.7m)
Aaron Paul: $20 million (£15.8m)
AMC
Aaron Paul played crystal meth cook and dealer Jesse Pinkman in all 62 episodes of Breaking Bad.
The show signalled a big break for Paul, who reportedly made $200,000 (£164k) per episode in the final two seasons. He also received three Emmy awards for his performance as Jesse over the years, as well as scoring nominations for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award.
The actor first stepped onto the scene in 1998, landing a part in made-for-TV movie Even the Losers.
Before he secured his role in Breaking Bad, Paul also appeared in shows such as The X Files and CSI: Miami, and even had a part in the 2006 action blockbuster Mission: Impossible III.
Aaron Paul: $20 million (£15.8m)
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Paul went on to reprise the role of Jesse Pinkman in both Better Call Saul and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Since then, he's worked on a number of hit TV shows, including sci-fi series West World and the dystopian anthology show Black Mirror. He also had a regular vocal role in the animated sitcom BoJack Horseman between 2014 and 2020.
Paul, who joined fellow members of SAG-AFTRA to protest against the major TV and film studios amid the ongoing Hollywood strikes, revealed in an interview with ET Canada that Netflix hasn't paid him any residuals, despite Breaking Bad's success on the platform.
"I don’t get a piece from Netflix on Breaking Bad, to be totally honest. And that’s insane to me," he said. "Shows live forever on these streamers, and they go through waves. And I just saw the other day that Breaking Bad was trending on Netflix, and it’s just such common sense, and I think a lot of these streamers, they know they have been getting away with not paying people just fair wage and now it’s time to pony up, and that’s just one of the things we’re fighting for".
Financial feud with Netflix aside, Paul is estimated to be worth a hefty $20 million (£15.8m).
Bryan Cranston: $40 million (£31.7m)
AMC
Bryan Cranston played Walter White, the high school teacher who turned to making and selling crystal meth to support his family after discovering he was terminally ill.
The antihero lead role earned Cranston a Golden Globe, six Emmys, and a slew of other nominations. At the peak of Breaking Bad's success, he was reportedly taking home $225,000 (£185k) per episode.
The actor had already achieved success before he starred in the crime drama, rising to global fame in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle between 2000 and 2006.
He'd also played small parts in a number of silver screen projects, including the 1998 war epic Saving Private Ryan and the 2006 comedy flick Little Miss Sunshine.
Bryan Cranston: $40 million (£31.7m)
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Like many of his co-stars, Cranston reprised his Breaking Bad character in Better Call Saul and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
He's since gone on to appear in a number of blockbuster films, including Godzilla (2014), Why Him? (2016), and Wes Anderson's Asteroid City (2023).
Meanwhile, Cranston's recent small-screen credits include the sci-fi series The Stand and the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He executive produced and starred in the gritty TV drama Your Honor between 2020 and 2023.
He's also boosted his fortune with income from the Dos Hombres Mezcal brand he co-founded with fellow Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul. The richest Breaking Bad alumni by a long shot, Cranston's estimated total fortune today is $40 million (£31.7m).
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