When the El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie was just days away from its release in October 2019, star Aaron Paul faced a challenge. How do you remind viewers about five dense seasons of a celebrated TV show that ended six years prior? His solution was a whirlwind, hilarious recap delivered live on late-night television, condensing the entire saga into just two and a half minutes.
The actor appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote the new Netflix film, which continues the story of his character, Jesse Pinkman. Before discussing the movie, host Jimmy Kimmel noted that even dedicated fans might need a memory refresher after so long. Paul then launched into a rapid-fire summary that hit all the major plot points, from Walter White’s initial cancer diagnosis to the explosive series finale.
The Complete Two-and-a-Half-Minute Breakdown
Aaron Paul’s recap began with the simple, now-iconic premise. He explained, “There’s this chemistry teacher named Walt who gets cancer, his wife Skyler is pregnant, and his son, Walt Jr., really loves breakfast. Then Walt starts cooking meth to pay for his medical bills, with the help of his former student, Jesse — that’s me”. From that starting point, he sped through the show’s chaotic history.
Paul touched on the key alliances and tragedies that defined the series. He mentioned Jesse falling in love with his girlfriend Jane, played by Krysten Ritter, and his friendships with fellow meth users Skinny Pete and Badger. The recap did not shy away from the show’s darker turns, including the many characters who met their end, such as Hank, Mike, and Jesse’s girlfriend. He highlighted wild moments like a flying pizza, an exploding wheelchair, and Walter White “getting naked in a grocery store”. True to Jesse Pinkman’s character, Paul also made sure to note how many times he said his signature word, “bitch”.
Promoting El Camino and a Secret Film Shoot
The fast-paced recap served as a perfect lead-in to discuss El Camino. The film, written and directed by Vince Gilligan, picks up immediately after the Breaking Bad finale, with Jesse speeding away from a neo-Nazi compound in the Chevrolet El Camino of the title. The movie follows his desperate attempt to evade the law and his past to forge a new future.
During the interview, Kimmel asked Paul how the production managed to film in Albuquerque, New Mexico, without the news leaking. Paul revealed that locals did spot him, but he brushed off suspicion by saying he was working on a “small passion project”. The project was so secret that it was not officially confirmed until Netflix released a trailer in late August 2019.
Paul expressed complete trust in Gilligan’s vision for the film. He told Kimmel:
“If you trusted Vince throughout that entire series, you should absolutely trust him in this film. He’s the last person that wants to mess with this legacy. He absolutely crushed it”.
He also shared his personal thoughts on Jesse’s ambiguous ending in the original series, saying, “I thought it was such a perfect ending, to leave it sort of ambiguous… I kind of want [Jesse] to be OK. And maybe that is the case”.
Also Read:
Release Details and Fan Excitement for the Film
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie was set for a global release on Netflix on October 11, 2019. Ahead of its streaming debut, the film also had a limited theatrical run in 68 cities. A premiere event in Los Angeles just days before the interview drew massive fan turnout, with Paul comparing the energy to an Avengers event.
The actor shared an extreme example of fan excitement from a promotional scavenger hunt in his home state of Idaho. One fan was so determined to win tickets that she promised Paul she would get a “Pinkman” tattoo on her bottom lip. After securing her ticket, she followed through, and Paul showed the photo evidence on Kimmel.
For viewers looking to catch up or re-live the story, the entire Breaking Bad series was available to stream on Netflix ahead of the movie’s release. This accessibility helped introduce the show to new audiences and allowed long-time fans to revisit the story that set the stage for Jesse’s final chapter in El Camino.
Also Read: The Pitt’s Top 5 Characters Who Drive the Show’s Authentic Energy
