Michael McKean Cast in the Breaking Bad Prequel Better Call Saul: Find Out Who He's Playing

The TV veteran, known for his work on The X-Files and Laverne & Shirley, joins Bob Odenkirk in the highly anticipated AMC spinoff

By Tierney Bricker May 01, 2014 2:15 PMTags
Michael McKeanGary Gershoff/Getty Images

Better Call Saul is ready to introduce some new blood.

AMC's highly anticipated prequel has cast Michael McKean, who is the first actor to join the series that was not on Breaking Bad, E! News has confirmed.

McKean, who is known for his work on The X-Files, Saturday Night Live, Laverne & Shirley and Smallville, will take on the role of Dr. Thurber, a brilliant attorney who is now restricted by an unusual affliction.

Deadline was the first to report McKean's casting.

From Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, Better Call Saul focuses on Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) before he became tangled up with the meth empire run by Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). Also set to star in the series is Jonathan Banks, who played BB fan favorite Mike Ehrmantraut.

We exclusively reported that Paul and Cranston are both in talks to appear on the highly anticipated prequel, with Paul potentially popping up on a recurring basis, while Cranston would make a cameo in an episode or two. Both actors had previously expressed their interest in appearing on Better Call Saul

Roles that have yet to be cast on the prequel? Beth, a successful lawyer who's had a hard life which is complicated by her romantic entanglements with somebody else at the firm; Burt, a "Kennedy type" who's winning at life and is a name partner at a firm; Eddy, a smart and calculating criminal, and Zach and Luke, twin brothers who spend their days skateboarding and scamming.

Better Call Saul will debut on AMC this November.