Talking with the Hitman: An Interview with Jonathan Banks of Breaking Bad

Like many people, I am addicted to Breaking Bad, for my money the single greatest drama in the history of television. I recently sat down with the versatile and accomplished actor Jonathan Banks, who plays dead-eyed hitman Mike Ehrmantraut.

• Congratulations on your recent Emmy nomination. Does it mean anything different to you than the the one you received from Wiseguy?
• I've listened to and watched many interviews on Breaking Bad. It seems that the actors, writers, producers, and entire staff were exceptionally well prepared before coming to work. Can you talk a little bit about that?
• Breaking Bad does an exceptional job of not explaining everything. For instance, your character's history in Philadelphia was never fully clarified. Did you make up your own back story for Mike? Did you ever talk about Mike's background with Vince Gilligan?
• Did you have a favorite scene from your four seasons on the show?
• What do you have planned for the rest of 2013 and beyond? Can we expect to see you again on Modern Family?