In 2021, “Better Call Saul” actor Bob Odenkirk suffered a serious heart attack. The medical emergency forced him to evaluate his life, which ultimately led to one of his biggest adventures yet.
Bob Odenkirk and “Arrested Development” star David Cross embarked on an expedition to Peru. They climbed Machu Picchu and documented the process. Their work debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival this week, delighting festival attendees.
Bob Odenkirk & David Cross Wanted to Live Life to the Fullest
GettyMountain climbing certainly isn’t easy, but Bob Odenkirk and David Cross decided they wanted to challenge themselves. They documented the process in their new film, “Bob and David Climb Machu Picchu,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this week.
“Comedy legends Bob Odenkirk and David Cross tackle one of the world’s toughest hikes — and each other — in this high-altitude, coca-fueled meditation on friendship, mortality, and profoundly absurd comedy from two icons still magnificently in sync,” the official synopsis from the festival’s website reads.
“A big part of this was informed by Bob’s heart attack,” David Cross shared in the film, as reported by PEOPLE. “It made me see things differently.”
Odenkirk told The Times of London that his heart attack happened on the set of “Better Call Saul.” At the time, everyone was so shocked that no one could process what had just happened.
“I fell over and I stopped breathing,” Odenkirk reveals in the new documentary, admitting that he soiled himself. “So death, I found in that moment, is real and closer than I thought.”
Though the actor’s sudden health emergency frightened everyone around him, David Cross remembers feeling absolutely heartbroken and stunned. He truly believed he was about to lose his best friend.
“I remember crying and I was walking around like a ghost. I didn’t sleep for a couple of days,” Cross admitted. He added a bit of dark humor to lighten the mood. “I suppose the best thing to come out of this is I got it out of my system, so when he really does die, it’ll be more of a, ‘Well, yeah, been there, done that, kind of thing.'”
After that, the friends decided to embark on their adventure together. They realized their time on Earth was limited and wanted to take advantage of what they had left.
Thus, “Bob and David Climb Machu Picchu” was born.
The ‘Breaking Bad’ Alum Keeps Pursuing Difficult Roles
GettyAlthough his heart attack forced him to take a step back, Bob Odenkirk still feels passionate about acting and storytelling. In fact, he doesn’t want to shy away from complex action roles.
“Oh, it’s good. It’s good,” the actor told PEOPLE about his health in an interview this April. “And I’m still going to the gym for stunt fighting. I go twice a week with my same trainer, Daniel Bernhardt.”
Odenkirk admitted he’s considered slowing down, but ultimately decided against it.
“Because once I stop, I think it might be a little intimidating to get back,” he told the outlet. “But if I keep up the basics, then it’s not so scary to just amp it up in time for a movie.”
Fans wish Bob Odenkirk and his loved ones the best as he continues acting.
