Larry Hankin is known for playing small albeit memorable TV roles on big shows. Among them was playing Old Joe on two episodes ofBreaking Badand its cinematic sequelEl Camino. However, it appears it wasn’t all smooth sailing while filming on the set, particularly next to the show’s star, Bryan Cranston.
Hankin admitted that he kept forgetting his lines while they filmed an episode ofBreaking Bad, which led to some testy exchanges with Cranston. According to Hankin, Cranston was getting more and more frustrated with the scenes being messed up on account of Hankin.
RELATED:Breaking Bad’s Jesse Pinkman Was Almost Played By You Star
In an interview withCracked, Hankin admitted that his dyslexia causes him to forget scripts, which led to what went down with Cranston. “For auditions, it was okay, but when I had a lot of lines, it was hard. In this case, I just forgot them. The director said, ‘Cut!,’ and Bryan Cranston leaned in and whispered, ‘Get your lines down.’ Then I went up on my lines again. The director said, ‘Cut!’ and Bryan went, ‘What’s the matter with you? Remember your lines.’ But that doesn’t do any good — it makes it worse.” Hankin then revealed what snapped him out of it. “I didn’t want to go through that a third time, so I stepped out and asked to talk to the director. I said, ‘Bryan’s giving me a hard time.’ The director said, ‘Two things, Larry: First, all actors go up on their lines, it happens. The second thing is, we’re losing the light, so f*** Bryan, and let’s just finish this scene.’ I got back in, and I never forgot my lines again. The director scared the strength into me.”
Hankin admitted that all of this transpired in his second appearance onBreaking Bad, the first episode of season 5, “Live Free or Die.” Old Joe’s role in the episode was to help Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and Mike Ehrmantraut by assembling a large magnet that could erase incriminating footage of the three of them at Gus Fring’s meth lab after the DEA had seized all the evidence they could after Fring’s death following what wasarguablyBreaking Bad’s best episode. Old Joe’s resources helped them avoid legal trouble for the time being.
While Hankin’s recollection of the situation sounds harsh, acting beside someone who keeps forgetting their lines can be frustrating, especially when the show is on a timetable. What’s worse though is that Hankin obviously couldn’t help it, having suffered from dyslexia. Luckily the delays were worth the wait because the episode set the stage for White’s final descent into darkness. With Fring gone, White could now be the man in charge, which led to his arrogance and hubris that eventually did him in duringBreaking Bad’s final season.
Even though Hankin made only three appearances throughout theBreaking Bad/El Caminostory, fans remember his role in the plot well. Though not a full-blown criminal, Old Joe dabbled in the shady underworld in the best way he knows how such as stalling Hank to help Walt and Jesse escape when he found the RV and assembling the magnet that would help them avoid legal trouble later on. Though Hankin is known better for hiscomedic roles in television likeFriendsandSeinfeld, he stood out inBreaking Bad.
MORE:10 Shows To Watch If You Like Breaking Bad
