Bob Odenkirk Explains Why He Won't Stop Working on Action Films 5 Years After His Heart Attack (Exclusive)
Bob Odenkirk Explains Why He Won't Stop Working on Action Films 5 Years After His Heart Attack (Exclusive)
Rachel Raposas, Abby RoedelFri, April 17, 2026 at 11:47 PM UTC
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Bob Odenkirk at the 'Normal' on April 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaCredit: Olivia Wong/WireImage -
Bob Odenkirk says his health is strong and he continues stunt training twice a week with his trainer
The actor suffered a widowmaker heart attack in 2021 but has decided not to scale back on action roles
Odenkirk recently filmed Nobody 2, which helped him prepare for his new role as a sheriff in Normal
Bob Odenkirk isn't planning on taking a break from action films.
The Nobody 2 actor, 63, spoke with PEOPLE at the premiere of his new film, Magnolia Pictures' Normal, about his love of action roles and how the genre is actually helping his health. Odenkirk's comments come roughly five years after he experienced a heart attack while filming the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul.
Odenkirk tells PEOPLE his health is in a good place, adding that he's still able to do everything he needs to take on action roles. Most recently, he took on the role of a small-town sheriff investigating a dark secret in Normal, which premiered in theaters on Friday, April 17.
Bob Odenkirk at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Normal' on April 15, 2026Credit: Olivia Wong/WireImage
"Oh, it's good. It's good," Odenkirk says of his health lately. "And I'm still going to the gym for stunt fighting. I go twice a week with my same trainer, Daniel Bernhardt."
In July 2021, the actor collapsed on the set of Better Call Saul in New Mexico. In August 2025, the actor appeared on Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, where he shared that others on set rushed to his aid and screamed for help. It took three shocks from an AED to restore his heartbeat, after which he was rushed to the hospital.
After waking up from a medically induced coma, Odenkirk learned he had suffered a widowmaker heart attack, which occurs when the largest artery, the left anterior descending artery, is blocked, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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Filming as many high-energy movies as he does, Odenkirk admits he's thought about scaling back for the sake of his health — though he's ultimately decided against it. Instead, he's focused on keeping his training sustainable so he can continue doing what he loves.
"Because once I stop, I think it might be a little intimidating to get back," Odenkirk says. "But if I keep up the basics, then it's not so scary to just amp it up in time for a movie."
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Luckily, preparing to film Normal wasn't so difficult, Odenkirk explained, because he'd just gotten done filming the sequel to Nobody, 2025's Nobody 2. "I was up to speed when we rolled into this film," he says.
Normal is now playing in theaters nationwide.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
