The end of "Breaking Bad" won't arrive until the summer of 2013, but Aaron Paul is still getting ready for a sob-fest.
"I know I'm going to be a mess, a sobbing mess," told The L.A. Times in an interview. "I'm going to miss it horribly."
While Paul's character Jesse Pinkman has played an instrumental role on the series, the show's creator Vince Gilligan didn't always know he was going to be such a big deal.
"In the beginning I had no idea how important Jesse was to the series," Gilligan said. "He was a bit disposable at one time. But Aaron brought such artistry and hope and humor to the character. The series is supposed to be about Walter White, but I realize that the show is fast becoming a two-hander. Jesse represents the heart of 'Breaking Bad.'"
Bryan Cranston, who plays Walter White, agreed with Gilligan about Paul's talent.
"When I first met Aaron, he seemed like the perfect foil. He was a lot like Jesse in many ways — vulnerable and sensitive," Cranston said. "But he's brought this empowerment to this character. He's a drug abuser, he doesn't care about education, he gets very far with his ignorance, but yet you feel for him. That's a true tribute to Aaron."
Gilligan and Cranston aren't alone: Paul himself had no idea how important his character would be.
"It's kind of hard for me to swallow," he told GQ. "When I first started, I just wanted to work. I wouldn't necessarily do anything, but I'd pretty much almost do anything at the very beginning. And then the more I started to work, the pickier I became, and now with this show that I'm working on now, it's just -- it's hard to say yes to projects. 'Breaking Bad,' I've never been more proud."
For more on Paul, had over to The L.A. Times.
