It’s no question that when you hear the name Aaron Paul, you first think of the character Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. The AMC show, which ran from 2008 to 2013, paired Paul alongside Bryan Cranston as his business partner in dealing with methamphetamine. Even though it’s been almost ten years since the show has ended, Paul has reprised his character in the movie version of the show El Camino and is set to cameo in the season finale of the sort-of-prequel series Better Call Saul. While Paul will forever go down as part of one of the greatest shows ever made, the actor has made his mark in a few other films and TV shows that are worth mentioning.
Paul’s time in Hollywood has comprised mostly of TV shows. Paul has had recurring roles on hit shows such as the visually stunning Westworld, Big Love, The Path, and Truth Be Told. He has also been a huge part of the animated TV show for adultsBoJack Horseman.
As far as feature films go, Paul has most recently appeared in the sci-fi thriller Dual, which was just released earlier this year. Prior to the 2022 film, he appeared in the films Need for Speed, Welcome Home, American Woman, and even a remake of Wes Craven’s 1972 film, The Last House on the Left. It seems that Paul is taking some time to work on his mezcal business and to spend time with his growing family. Let’s take a look at some of his best performances, ranked.
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8 The Last House on the Left
Universal Pictures
In the 2009 remake of Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left, fans got to see Aaron Paul as a villain of sorts. Paul’s character Francis is a member of a gang that kidnaps and assaults two young women. When the parents of one of the victims find out the gang is hiding in their vacation home, they plot to carry out revenge. This remake was actually more popular than the original and helped mark a name for Paul outside the Breaking Bad universe.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Need for Speed
Paul wasted no time jumping into a new project after Breaking Bad wrapped in 2013. Need for Speed is an action-packed film about a street racer that was framed for a murder he didn’t commit. Fresh out of prison for the crime, he joins a secretive race known as The DeLeon as a form of revenge. The film is based on a popular video game series.
6 Westworld
HBO
Already familiar with TV series, Paul joined HBO’s Westworld for season three. His character, Caleb Nicholas, is a war-vet and blue-collar worker, who is a construction worker by day and a heist worker by night via jobs posted through the RICO app. His character is human and the main character for the third season. His character is set to return for the fourth season airing later this year.
5 Dual
RLJE Films
In his latest film Dual, Paul joins the sci-fi thriller genre where he plays a trainer who is hired to help Sarah, played by Karen Gillan, win her upcoming fight. Sarah was given a terminal diagnosis and to ease the pain for her family and boyfriend she clones herself. Sarah ends up surviving the illness and is forced to duel her clone in a fight to the death. The film was just released in March 2022 and has received mixed reviews despite the unique perspective on identity that the film discusses.
4 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Sony Pictures Television
The events in El Camino take place immediately after the finale of Breaking Bad and follow Jesse Pinkman as he is on the run. On the run from his captors the law, and even his past, Jesse quickly finds that he needs a plan and some cash in order to get him out of Albuquerque safely. Fans were excited to see what happened next for Jesse after the series finale. In a world where remakes are popular, it was certainly the right choice to give more finality to one of the top-rated TV shows ever made.
3 Eve in the Sky
Entertainment One
In this high tension war film, Paul plays Steve Watts an American pilot who is sent to strike against enemies. Col. Katherine Powell, played by Dame Helen Mirren, is in command of the drone piloted by Lieutenant Steve Watts when a nine-year-old girl enters the kill zone, sparking an international dispute over the implications of modern warfare.
2 BoJack Horseman
Netflix
From 2014 to 2020, Paul starred in the adult animated comedy BoJack Horseman as Todd Chavez, among other characters. The series follows a washed-up TV star whose purpose now is to complain about absolutely everything. The Netflix show is dark in nature but has garnered quite the following over the years.
1 Breaking Bad
Arguably the highlight of his acting career is Paul’s portrayal of Jesse Pinkman, a former classmate turned business partner to Walter White, in Breaking Bad. When White is given a few months to live, he sets out to earn a comfortable life to leave for his family. The chemistry teacher turns to create his signature “blue meth” and quickly earns a lot of money. With this rise in status in the drug world, he captures the attention of his DEA brother-in-law. Together, the pair must survive this change of life.
