Ever since snagging his iconic role as Jesse Pinkman in “Breaking Bad,” Aaron Paul’s been on a roll, juggling a whirlwind of movies and TV gigs. While he might have played a drug user on that wildly popular show, in real life, he’s actually known for being a genuinely good egg, an all-around stand-up guy!
This dude has totally earned every bit of his hard-won success. So, wanna know what makes him tick? Let’s dive into some juicy tidbits about his life and career, shall we?
From Humble Beginnings to Hollywood Hustle
Aaron Paul Sturtevant, now 46, wasn’t always the big-shot actor we know. Before hitting it big, he hustled hard, working as a delivery boy and even rocking a frog mascot costume for a radio station. When he first landed in Los Angeles, Hollywood wasn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet; he spent a whole decade grinding it out, with one of his early gigs being an usher at Universal Studios Movie Theater in Hollywood.
Interestingly enough, despite moving to LA specifically to chase his acting dreams, he’s never actually had any formal acting training. Talk about raw talent!
Quirks and Auditions: The Road Less Traveled
Here’s a fun fact: back in 1999, Aaron Paul shot a commercial for Corn Pops. To this day, he swears he’ll never touch the cereal again! And speaking of commercials, before his “Breaking Bad” fame, he auditioned for the role of Francis on “Malcolm in the Middle,” a show that featured Bryan Cranston, his future co-star. He apparently thought it would be a blast to play an adorable, furry character in an ad, though at 5’8″ (1.73 m), he was probably a tad too short for a certain furry role he once eyed!
Aaron has this little trick to keep his cool on the road: he has to blast chill music while driving to prevent himself from getting a serious case of road rage. Who knew?
The Big Break and Beyond
His big moment arrived in 2007 when he landed a role on the HBO series “Big Love,” playing Amanda Seyfried’s boyfriend-turned-husband. But it was “Breaking Bad” that truly launched him into orbit. During filming in Albuquerque, he’d sometimes drop the number for a payphone near the set on Twitter, taking calls from delighted fans. That’s pretty cool, right?
By the fifth season of “Breaking Bad,” Aaron was raking in a cool $150,000 per episode. Not too shabby at all!
Love, Life, and Little Ones
It was on New Year’s Day that Aaron popped the question to his future wife, Lauren, having secretly bought the ring three months prior. When they tied the knot in 2013, they went all out, throwing a fabulous 1920s Parisian carnival-themed wedding in Malibu, California. Super chic!
He’s a true award magnet, having snagged the Best Supporting Actor on Television award three times. He’s actually the only actor to achieve that feat. When asked about similarities between himself and Jesse Pinkman, Aaron often says they both share a soft spot for kids. Aww!
And here’s a fun story: he once attended the Prince of Brunei’s 25th birthday bash as a plus-one with a friend, and ended up hanging out with *NSYNC! Talk about a random celebrity encounter. Life’s full of surprises, right? In 2017, Aaron and Lauren shared some exciting news: they announced they were expecting their first child!
