Bob Odenkirk Compares Making His Broadway Debut at 62 to 'Jumping Off a Cliff Without a Parachute'

Published: May 22, 2025

By Dave Quinn, Senior Editor for PEOPLE

Bob Odenkirk, the 62-year-old actor, has taken a leap of faith by making his Broadway debut in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Glengarry Glen Ross. The Tony Award nominee opens up to PEOPLE about taking risks at this point in his career.

Odenkirk's decision to take on this new challenge is comparable to "jumping off a cliff without a parachute," he says. "It was a big risk, and maybe I didn't even realize that when I took it. Like, 'Wait a second? Let's see if that parachute's on my back!'"

Odenkirk's confidence in taking on this new role stems from his recent on-screen performances, including his work on Better Call Saul and various films. "Some of the acting I got to do on Better Call Saul and some of the films that I've done made me feel a little more confident as an actor that I could work my way through a performance of something like this and find layers to it and find value to doing it over and over," the actor explains.

In Glengarry Glen Ross, Odenkirk plays the role of Shelly Levene, an aging real estate salesman struggling to keep up in a cutthroat sales environment. He stars alongside Oscar winner Kieran Culkin and comedian Bill Burr, as well as Michael McKean, Donald Webber Jr., Howard W. Overshown, and John Pirruccello. The production, directed by Tony Award winner Patrick Marber, is playing a limited run through June 14.

Odenkirk expresses his joy in performing on Broadway, "It's been an absolute joy every night to do this show... To be on Broadway with this cast I'm with? It's an amazing group of people, fun as can be, and we're doing the funniest version of Glengarry Glen Ross you'll ever see."

Amidst the fun, Odenkirk has found Broadway to be an especially meaningful experience. It's something that even took him by surprise. "Broadway is a special community, and I didn't really know that," he says. "I sort of thought, 'Well, I don't know, it's a theater. I'll go up on stage, and yes, it's near the street called Broadway. So what?'"

Odenkirk adds, "You just have so much to work with, and most stages are not like that. It can be a much more adversarial vibe between you and the audience in almost any other space. But on Broadway, that's not there. It's special and it's just meant the world to me to be a part of it."

As for what happens on Tony night, Odenkirk assures PEOPLE he's not stressing. After all, he's been nominated for seven acting Emmys and never won. "You have to realize that truly is the most important thing; to be nominated," says Odenkirk, who has taken home two Emmys for the writing work he did on Saturday Night Live and The Ben Stiller Show. "Being nominated, it just says, 'You're doing a good job. You're doing something special, and you're doing it well.' Winning? I mean, who knows what makes someone vote for one person over the other. Being included in that category of people is everything."

Odenkirk adds with a laugh, "And that's of course from somebody who was nominated so many times and hasn't won."

Tickets for Glengarry Glen Ross are now on sale. The 2025 Tony Awards will air live from N.Y.C.'s Radio City Music Hall Sunday, June 8 on CBS.

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