Breaking Bad Actors You May Not Know Passed Away
Debuting in early 2008, "Breaking Bad" enjoyed a five-year run on AMC, where it earned its reputation as one of the greatest crime dramas of all time. Starring Bryan Cranston as the terminally ill chemistry teacher Walter White, the series chronicled his desperate attempts to provide a future for his family in his final days, only to wind up deeply immersed in the criminal underworld of Albuquerque, New Mexico and beyond.
After leaving an indelible mark on pop culture, only strengthened by "Better Call Saul" — an arguably even better spin-off series following a fan-favorite crooked lawyer — it's only natural to wonder where all of the cast are today. Sadly, more than a handful are no longer with us, but outside of a few big names, you may not have ever heard the news. With that in mind, let's take a look at 10 "Breaking Bad" stars who have sadly passed away since their time on this incredible series.
Mark Margolis
Every gripping crime drama needs a villain, and in "Breaking Bad" there were nearly too many to count, with even series lead Walter White (Bryan Cranston) becoming perhaps the most twisted of them all by the show's end. Giving him a run for his money, however, were fan favorites like Giancarlo Esposito as the drug kingpin Gus Fring, Raymond Cruz as criminal maniac Tuco Salamanca, and Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca, the head of the Salamanca crime family.
Unlike the majority of the casts of "Breaking Bad" and even its spin-off series, "Better Call Saul," it's hard to call the time he spent playing Hector a truly career-defining role for Margolis. Already an accomplished actor by his first appearance in the Season 2 episode "Grilled," he had appeared in noteworthy films such as Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream," as well as the director's mind-bending thriller "Pi." Another absolutely iconic project Margolis starred in early in his career was the crime drama "Scarface," before appearing throughout the world of film and television for decades to come.
Mark Margolis would continue acting into 2023, reuniting with former "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston in the second season of the Showtime drama "Your Honor," where he played Gina Baxter's father Carmine. Sadly, his five-episode appearance on the series would be Margolis's last role on camera, as he passed away at the age of 83 after being hospitalized for a sudden illness.
James Ning
Though plenty of the talent to appear on "Breaking Bad" had only a fraction of the screen time that stars like Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul were given, they nonetheless managed to leave their mark on the series, etching out memorable performances with little time to do so. James Ning is one such actor, appearing in just two episodes as Duane Chow, a chemical purveyor who secretly helps facilitate the substances needed by the drug empire of Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).
Surprisingly, his brief stint on "Breaking Bad" was one of just seven times that Ning would appear on screen, and far and above the most memorable. Other credits include a supporting role on the Adam Sandler-led Western parody "The Ridiculous 6," as well as another two-episode run on the crime drama "Perception." Sadly, Ning — who was cast out of the local pool of talent in Albuquerque – passed away in November 2022 at the age of 86.
Michael Showers
Some actors from "Breaking Bad" have left us far too soon: in August 2011, actor Michael Showers passed away at the age of just 45. Not long after his girlfriend reported him missing, Showers was found dead, his body recovered from the Mississippi River in New Orleans. An autopsy revealed that Showers had been deceased for at least two days, and likely fell into the river and drowned.
Before his death, Showers had been a prolific guest actor, with roles both in movies and on TV. Though he rarely had a starring role, and seemed content to appear as minor characters, in bit parts, or even as a background actor, he was able to count hits like "Breaking Bad" and "The Vampire Diaries" on his resume. His largest role was arguably as the villainous Captain John Guidry, a New Orleans police officer in the HBO drama "Treme," from "The Wire" creator David Simon.
On the big screen, Showers had small roles in "Love, Wedding, Marriage" with Mandy Moore, "I Love You, Phillip Morris" with Jim Carrey, "Columbiana" with Zoe Saldana, and the Oscar-winning Steven Soderbergh classic "Traffic." After his passing, "Treme" creator Simon praised Showers as a fine collaborator and top-notch actor, calling him (via The AV Club) "a fine actor who contributed his talents to our drama in the warmest and most professional way. We enjoyed his work — and working with him."
Mike Batayeh
"Breaking Bad" fans will remember Mike Batayeh for appearing in a trio of episodes across Seasons 4 and 5, where he played Dennis Markowski, the manager of the phony laundromat that Walt and Gus used to cover up their illicit business. Though the role may have been his most famous, it was far from the only one he'd take on in his 20-year career as an actor, often appearing in supporting parts on film and TV. His many credits include an episode of the 2005 remake of "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," another trio of episodes on "Sleeper Cell," and a one-off spot on "CSI: Miami."
Batayeh tragically left us too soon, in a sudden passing that was initially reported to be the result of a heart attack. But as details emerged in the days following his death, it was revealed that his death at the age of 52 was instead the result of suicide. Unfortunately, he also wouldn't be the only "Breaking Bad" actor to take their own life.
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David House
As fans of "Breaking Bad" undoubtedly remember, the driving force behind Walter White's decision to go into the business of producing meth is financial hardship brought on by his cancer diagnosis early in the series. As such, plenty of scenes in the earlier seasons are dedicated to showing how Walt tackles the grim disease, often interacting with a number of doctors. Among them was Doctor Delcavoli (David House), who managed Walt's treatment in episodes of Seasons 1 and 2.
Outside of "Breaking Bad," House was an accomplished actor whose resume included an appearance in the sci-fi flick "The Host," a supporting role alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2013 action movie "The Last Stand," and a part in the 2015 doomsday series "The Messengers." Unfortunately, tragedy struck House not long after that, with the actor passing away from a brain tumor in 2016 at the age of 57. A prolific radio personality in New Mexico, he was remembered fondly by local station KUNM, which described House as "one of the kindest, most pleasant, and warmest people on the planet."
Robert Forster
"Breaking Bad" didn't just feature one of the best casts in recent memory, it also had its fair share of high-profile guest stars. One of them was Robert Forster, who showed up as Ed Galbraith in the fifth season episode "Granite State," and was certainly no stranger to gritty crime dramas. Perhaps most famously, Forster starred opposite Pam Grier in Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown" as bail bondsman Max Cherry, a role that earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Forster's career was already well-established when he played Cherry, though, stretching back to the 1960s. Notable movie credits for the actor include Disney's "The Black Hole" in 1979, the 1982 "Death Wish" knockoff "Vigilante," and the Chuck Norris classic "Delta Force." But TV is where Forster had the most success, beginning with his starring role on the '70s dramas "Nakia" and "Banyon," and a recurring part in "Police Story" during the same decade.
After 1997's "Jackie Brown," the actor pivoted back to movies on screens both big and small. He starred in two Hitchcock remakes: The ill-fated Gus Van Sant-directed "Psycho" and the Christopher Reeve-starring "Rear Window," both in 1998, while also appearing in David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive." A late career resurgence saw him surfacing in the superhero drama "Heroes," Lynch's "Twin Peaks" revival, and the Tim Allen sitcom "Last Man Standing." He returned to the role of Galbraith in "Better Call Saul" and "El Camino" just a few years before he died from brain cancer in 2019. He was 78.
Isaac Kappy
He only had one appearance on "Breaking Bad," but actor Isaac Kappy made the most of it, playing a prisoner in the 2009 episode "Seven Thirty-Seven." At the time he was coming off a string of movies that included the geek-centric comedy "Fanboys," starring Jay Baruchel and Kristen Bell, and the Loren Haynes-directed horror film "Hearts of Desire."
Following "Breaking Bad," Kappy had small parts in "Terminator Salvation" in 2009 and Marvel Studios' "Thor" in 2011, as well as an episode of the medical drama "Night Shift." His final role came in "Rachel Dratch's Late Night Snack" in 2016. In a tragic loss, Kappy took his own life in 2019 by jumping from a bridge onto a roadway, where he was hit by a car and killed. He was just 42 at the time of his death, which was preceded by a sobering social media post where he talked about his biggest regrets, though he declined to mention specifics. "To the MANY people I have acted abusively towards, I am very, very sorry," said Kappy in his final message to the world.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
Saginaw Grant
Veteran character actors come in all stripes, and some make a living thanks to their uniqueness. As one of a small community of Native American actors, Saginaw Grant had the privilege of being cast on a number of hit TV shows and movies thanks to his ancestry. Over the course of several decades, Grant made a name for himself playing Indigenous characters in just about every genre.
Back in the '90s, Grant appeared in the 1993 period adventure series "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," also turning up in "Nash Bridges" and "Baywatch" later that same decade. The 2000s were prosperous for Grant as well, with roles in movies like "Black Cloud" and episodes of "My Name is Earl" and "Saving Grace." In 2013, the same year he appeared in the "Breaking Bad" episode "Ozymandias," Grant had a small role in the Johnny Depp-led film "The Lone Ranger," playing Chief Big Bear.
From "Shameless" to "Community" to "Workaholics," Grant also had success in TV comedy, with the Netflix film "The Ridiculous Six" and an episode of "Veep" being two of his last roles. In 2021, Grant died at age 85, passing away peacefully in his sleep. In addition to being an actor, he was also a hereditary chief of Sac and Fox Nation in Oklahoma.
Wolf Muser
Appearing briefly in Season 5 as Herr Herzog, CEO of Madrigal Electromotive, Wolf Muser hailed from Germany yet guest-starred on some of America's biggest TV double-acts, beginning with a background role in an episode of "Hart to Hart" in 1981. Episodes of "Laverne and Shirley," "Cagney and Lacey," and "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" followed, as well as a pair of episodes of "Simon and Simon" and an installment of "Hardcastle and McCormick."
It was more than just '80s hits for Muser, though, with his career taking him through famous shows like the TV adaptation of Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Timecop" and the goofy, short-lived Southern cop comedy "J.J. Starbuck." His longest-tenured role came in the world of daytime soaps, with his part as Marcello Armonti on "Santa Barbara" carrying him for 62 episodes in the show's 1985 season.
Into the 2000s, Muser's career was busier than ever, with roles in "Just Shoot Me!," "Carnivale," and "Criminal Minds" among countless others. Towards the end of his career he played his most famous role, appearing as an aging Adolf Hitler in the Hulu sci-fi thriller "The Man in the High Castle." Around the same time he also showed up in a handful of episodes of "Adam Ruins Everything," with his final appearance coming in 2019, three years before his death in 2022 at age 71.
Shari Rhodes
Most guest actors from "Breaking Bad" have had a long career in Hollywood, whether they're a big-name superstar like Danny Trejo or an unknown background extra like Shari Rhodes. Rhodes, however, is unique in that her one-time appearance as the Bingo Lady on the Vince Gilligan-created series is her only screen credit. Yet she wasn't an unknown in Tinseltown at all — her career just usually wasn't in front of the camera.
Long before Rhodes showed up in the 2010 episode "I.F.T.," she was a successful casting director with a long history working in television and film. She got her start way back in the 1970s, casting the Steven Spielberg classics "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" after working on the Jan-Michael Vincent film "Buster and Billie." The '80s saw Rhodes bringing actors in on movies like "Return of the Living Dead II," while in the '90s she cast a number of high-profile movies, including "Passenger 57," "The Patriot," and "The Sandlot."
Rhodes' work as a casting director for TV shows saw her finding roles for actors in "Dallas" in the 1970s, the acclaimed mini-series "North and South" in the 1980s, and "Walker, Texas Ranger" in the 1990s. After the turn of the millennium, she helped out with casting on "Breaking Bad," which led to her finding a small role for herself too. In 2009, Rhodes died from breast cancer at 71 while working on the TV adaptation of "Crash."