Breaking Bad Cast: Complete List of Actors and Characters

Few television series have left a mark quite like Breaking Bad. Over five seasons, its cast brought to life a world of moral decay and transformation that keeps viewers coming back.

Seasons: 5 ·
Episodes: 62 ·
Main cast members: 6 ·
Original network: AMC

Six main cast members anchored the series across five seasons, with a supporting ensemble that expanded each year.

The pattern: a tight core of six actors supported by a deep bench of recurring players, many of whom later starred in the prequel.

Who is in the Breaking Bad cast?

Main characters and their actors

• Bryan Cranston as Walter White – a high school chemistry teacher turned drug lord
• Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman – Walter’s former student and partner
• Anna Gunn as Skyler White – Walter’s wife
• Dean Norris as Hank Schrader – DEA agent and Walter’s brother-in-law
• Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader – Hank’s wife
• RJ Mitte as Walter White Jr. – Walter and Skyler’s son

What this means: these six actors carried the series from pilot to finale, each earning critical acclaim for performances that blurred moral lines.

Supporting cast overview

• Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman – a flamboyant criminal lawyer (first appears season 2)
• Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut – a fixer and hitman (season 2 onward)
• Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring – a meticulous drug kingpin (season 2 onward)
• Steven Michael Quezada as Steven Gomez – Hank’s DEA partner
• Charles Baker as Skinny Pete – Jesse’s friend
• Matt Jones as Badger – Jesse’s friend
• Lavell Crawford as Huell – Saul’s bodyguard
• Jesse Plemons as Todd Alquist – a cold‑blooded enforcer (season 5)
• Laura Fraser as Lydia Rodarte‑Quayle – a timid yet calculating businesswoman (season 5)

The implication: the supporting cast grew in lockstep with Walter’s descent, adding layers of threat and dark humor that made the world feel lived‑in.

Which actors appear in Breaking Bad season 1?

Season 1 main cast

Season 1 premiered on January 20, 2008. All six main actors appear from the first episode: Bryan Cranston (Walter White), Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman), Anna Gunn (Skyler White), Dean Norris (Hank Schrader), Betsy Brandt (Marie Schrader), and RJ Mitte (Walter White Jr.).

The season’s seven episodes introduce the core dynamic of a desperate teacher cooking meth to secure his family’s future.

Season 1 guest stars

• Max Arciniega as Domingo “Krazy‑8” Molina – a low‑level dealer
• John Koyama as Emilio Koyama – Krazy‑8’s cousin
• Jessica Hecht as Gretchen Schwartz – a former colleague of Walter
• Carmen Serano as Carmen Molina – the high school principal
• Raymond Cruz as Tuco Salamanca – a violent cartel member (episode 6)
• Steven Michael Quezada as Steven Gomez – appears as Hank’s DEA partner
• Charles Baker as Skinny Pete – Jesse’s friend

The catch: season 1 laid every narrative thread for the series, with guest actors like Raymond Cruz setting up the cartel threat that would dominate later seasons.

Who played Jane Margolis in Breaking Bad?

Jane Margolis character and actress

Jane Margolis was played by Krysten Ritter. She appears in seasons 2 and 3 as Jesse’s landlord and girlfriend. Her character’s struggle with addiction and her father’s attempts to help her form some of the series’ most heartbreaking moments.

Connection to Jesse Pinkman

Jane becomes romantically involved with Jesse, and her presence catalyzes a rift between Jesse and Walter. Her death in season 2 is a pivotal turning point that deepens Jesse’s downward spiral. Krysten Ritter’s performance earned praise for its raw vulnerability.

Why this matters: Jane’s arc showcases Breaking Bad’s willingness to give even supporting characters rich, tragic trajectories.

What this means: the Breaking Bad cast was carefully layered to support the show’s moral complexity.

“I wanted to create a show where the protagonist becomes the antagonist.”

– Vince Gilligan, series creator

“Walter White is a character that I never fully understood until the end. That’s what made him so compelling to play.”

– Bryan Cranston, in an interview with The Guardian

For anyone revisiting the series after Better Call Saul, the cast guide is a reminder of how carefully Vince Gilligan deployed his actors. The main six remain a textbook case of casting synergy, while the supporting players—from Krysten Ritter to Giancarlo Esposito—each left an indelible mark.

For fans of character‑driven drama, the choice is clear: revisit Breaking Bad with this cast guide, or track how actors like Aaron Paul and Bob Odenkirk revisited their roles in ‘Better Call Saul’.

For more cast guides, check out Stranger Things Season 5 Cast and The Fifth Element.

For a full overview of every performer in the series, refer to the complete guide to Breaking Bads actors which includes details on main roles and guest stars across all five seasons.

Frequently asked questions