This picture launched by AMC reveals Bob Odenkirk as Hank in a scene from ‘Lucky Hank’ | Photo Credit: Sergei Bachlakov
Bob Odenkirk loves Saul Goodman, however he is additionally prepared to depart the character behind. He performed the underhanded, calculating lawyer on “Breaking Bad” after which for six seasons on “Better Call Saul.” ,
The Emmy-nominated actor hopes viewers will subsequent take to him in the dead of night comedy collection AMC’s “Lucky Hank,” debuting Sunday, as Hank Devereaux, a university English professor who’s division chair at an underfunded school, going by means of an identification disaster. He wrote a novel that nobody learn, but his father’s retirement from the tutorial literary world was lined by the New York Times.
“Guys always want to be greater than their dad if they do the same thing or are similar, or they want to be the opposite of their dad and usually they can’t achieve either thing perfectly,” stated Odenkirk lately over Zoom.
Odenkirk was drawn to the truth that Hank, with his discontent and intelligence, can be fairly witty. Some could not notice or neglect that Odenkirk has a background in comedy. He was a author on “Saturday Night Live” and labored with a few of its most notable breakouts together with Adam Sandler, Chris Farley and Chris Rock.
“Saul Goodman was humorous, however Saul wasn’t conscious of how humorous he was. Usually he was humorous to you, the viewers, however he wasn’t attempting, however he was extraordinarily critical about what he was doing,” explained Odenkirk. “This man is making jokes. He’s saying issues that he is aware of are humorous and meant to be humorous. That’s actually enjoyable to play. That self-awareness, I like it and it is one of many causes I wished to play this half.”
“Lucky Hank” is based on the novel “Straight Man” by Richard Russo. Co-creators and co-showrunners Paul Lieberstein of “The Office” and Aaron Zellman say the series takes a lot of liberties from the book.
“I’ve executed lots of diversifications,” said Zellman. “You notice a complete chapter of the ebook could also be a second in a scene. It’s only a totally different animal and you’ve got to invent much more stuff.”
Bob Odenkirk as Hank in a scene from ‘Lucky Hank’ | Photo Credit: Sergei Bachlakov
“Lucky Hank” additionally comes at a time the place Odenkirk continues to be processing a 2021 huge coronary heart assault on the set of “Better Call Saul.” His coronary heart stopped for 18 minutes and Odenkirk got here out of it feeling a mix of power and exhaustion, with no actual reminiscence of what occurred.
“Two weeks later he was like, ‘All right, guys, when do we go out and pitch this thing?’ said Zellman.
“It’s additionally a way of, like, ‘You could be making a horrible determination,’ laughed Lieberstein.
Odernkik says the guts assault “was as serious as you get before they put you in the ground” and it left him with related questions on his personal life that Hank has.
“I’m in it proper now. I’m in it proper now fascinated about, ‘I’m 60. What do I need to do with the remainder of my life? How do I need to dwell? That’s totally different from the final 10 years, which, you already know, was about Saul Goodman and lots of getting work executed.”
He stars opposite Mireille Enos as his wife, Lily, who tends to balance out Hank’s cynicism but is also facing her own questions of self-identity and purpose. Enos is best-known for playing dark, serious roles like in “The Killing.”
“We had a lunch collectively in New York when she was contemplating taking part in this half,” recalled Odenkirk. “At the tip I stated, ‘You have an important smile. How come I’ve by no means seen it? She goes, ‘They by no means ask me to do mild materials.’ She’s all the time on the run, being chased…, it is all the time such intense drama, which she’s wonderful in, however she’s obtained a lightness and a spirit to her that I do not suppose she’s had a chance to present. It’s actually on show right here as Lily.”