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Starring alongside Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, Dean Norris took on the role of Hank Schrader, the DEA agent, and Walter White’s brother-in-law, tasked with investigating the methamphetamine operation of Heisenberg, inBreaking Bad.
The character, unaware that the elusive drug kingpin is actually his own brother-in-law, discovers the truth in the final season, leading up to his tragic death at the hands of Jack. However, Norris later revealed that he wanted his character to die ahead of his eventual end in the show.
Dean Norris Wanted HisBreaking BadCharacter to Die in the First Half Series Finale
Setting up the series finale for one of the most iconic TV series ever,Ozymandias, Episode 14 of Season 5 has been thehighest-rated episodeof the show, largely due to Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) tragic downfall and the intense climax surrounding Dean Norris’ character, Hank Schrader.
The DEA agent is killed off by Jack Welker, who shoots him in the head in front of Walter Whitewho continues to beg him not to killhis brother-in-law. The episode marked Norris’ journey coming to an end in the show.
However, fans of the hit crime drama were almost robbed of one of the best sequences of the show, as the actor has initially requested his character to be killed off in the first half of the series finale.
“We threw those out completely”: Vince Gilligan Admitted Breaking Bad Season 1 Was Wildly Different Until a Major Hollywood Event Forced Him to Change it
Breaking Badfinale was released in two eight-episode installments that were filmed and released a year apart. Norris wanted his character to be killed off in the first half of the finale, especially after he landed a leading role in a comedy pilot.
While he initially thought he could juggle both projects, as AMC had greenlit 16 episodes for the final season, it conflicted with the decision to split the final season into two eight-episode installments.
He explained to theNational Post,
When they [AMC] originally picked up the 16 [episodes] I thought, ‘Great, I can do a pilot, do the 16, and then be free to do a show — And then at some point f**king whoever decided they were going to split it into two eights so it cut me off from doing a pilot — and I had a pilot I wanted to do.
Seeing no way around it, he called the showrunner, suggesting,“Hey man, maybe Hank should die in the first eight. Wouldn’t that be a great ending?”He suggested it would have allowed him to complete hisBreaking Badcommitment while also pursuing the new opportunity. However, Gilligan wasn’t ready to say goodbye to one of the show’s most important characters, yet.
Vince Gilligan Denied Dean Norris’ Request to Kill His Character Ahead of Finale
Dean Norris wanted to grab the opportunity for the comedy pilot. The reason he was too keen to step down from the crime drama was likely due to the comedy opportunity after years of portraying tough law enforcement roles, a recurring theme in his career across both film and television.
He opened up about the same in an appearance onNPR’sFresh Air.“I don’t know why that is … but I guess you have a certain look, it’s kind of an authoritative law enforcement-type look,”he said.
However, theBreaking Badshowrunner denied his request, telling him that hecould not lose such a pivotal characterahead of the first half of the final season.“He said no in his nice Southern way: ‘I need you, what else am I going to write about in the last eight?'”Norris recalled his conversation with the showrunner.
“He was just lying, messing with me”: Bryan Cranston’s Heartless Prank on a ‘Breaking Bad’ Co-star Proves There’s a Real Walter White in Him
Despite his desire to explore the comedy role, Norris accepted Gilligan’s decision, admitting,“I couldn’t force him to do it because I have a contract I’d have to get out of but I asked him very seriously to kill me.”Ultimately, Norris found satisfaction in knowing that the finale would be the most“Hank-centric”storyline of the series.
Breaking Badis available to watch on Netflix.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
