Breaking Bad had one of the best TV casts of all time, but sadly, some of the crime drama’s stars are no longer with us. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul wowed audiences as meth-cooking duo Walter White and Jesse Pinkman throughout Breaking Bad‘s five seasons, but the actors playing their family, friends, and enemies all delivered fantastic performances as well.

Walt and Jesse lived dangerous lives as they navigated Albuquerque’s criminal underworld, and plenty of Breaking Bad characters died brutal deaths along the way. Sadly, there are also several actors in the show who have passed away, too, though their performances in one of the best TV shows of all time will live on forever.

Mark Margolis (Hector Salamanca)

November 26, 1939 – August 3, 2023

The most prominent Breaking Bad cast member to have passed away, Mark Margolis played drug kingpin and Breaking Bad villain Hector Salamanca. Hector is the uncle of Tuco, Better Call Saul‘s Lalo, and the terrifying silent twins, and has an embittered feud with Gus Fring. Famously, Hector sacrificed himself to kill Gus in Breaking Bad‘s season 4 finale.

Margolis gave a masterful performance as Hector, who could not speak as a result of a stroke, and communicated via facial expressions and ringing a bell. Though Hector Salamanca is by far Margolis’s most famous role, he was a veteran of the small screen, notably appearing in everything from Scarface to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective to Oz to The Black Donnellys. His last role was Carmine Conti in Bryan Cranston’s Your Honor.

Born in Philadelphia, Margolis died in New York City on August 3, 2023 at the age of 83, following a short illness. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and son, Morgan.

Robert Forster

July 13, 1941 – October 11, 2019

Star of the screen Robert Forster had been in the business for 54 years when he passed away. In the Breaking Bad universe, he played Ed “The Disappearer” Gailbraith, the vacuum salesman who also procures new identities for fugitives. Ed was one of the Breaking Bad characters who also appeared in Better Call Saul, and though Forster had many notable acting credits, Ed was one of his most famous roles.

Besides Breaking Bad, Forster starred in Twin Peaks: The Return, Me, Myself & Irene, and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor for his role as the lovestruck bail bondsman Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown.

Forster was born in Rochester, New York, and died in Los Angeles, California of a brain tumor at the age of 78. He passed on October 11, 2019, the same day that El Camino: A Breaking Bad movie, which Forster starred in, was released. Forster, who is survived by four children, reportedly died mere hours after watching the film.

James Ning (Duane Chow)

September 28, 1936 – November 22, 2022

A minor but important Breaking Bad character, James Ning’s Duane Chow is the owner of Golden Moth Chemical, the manufacturing company that supplied chemicals to Gus Fring’s drug empire. As Chow, Ning appeared in two Breaking Bad episodes, season 3’s “Full Measure” and season 5’s “Madrigal”.

With a total of seven acting credits on IMDb, Ning was not a prolific actor, but his filmography is still impressive. His final acting credit was the role of QI in Adam Sandler’s 2015 Western spoof, The Ridiculous 6.

Ning was born in Shanghai, China, and died in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the age of 86, though the cause of death is unknown. He is survived by a son and three daughters.

Mike Batayeh (Dennis Markowski)

December 27, 1970 – June 1, 2023

Mike Batayeh played the ill-fated Dennis Markoswki, the manager of the laundromat that served as a cover for Gus Fring’s meth lab, in Breaking Bad. Walter memorably had Dennis burned alive in prison to prevent him from testifying against him.

Though Breaking Bad is Batayeh’s most notable credit, he has appeared in several other movies and shows, including You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, JAG, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Batayeh also passed away in his native state on June 1, 2023, at the age of 52. Though Batayeh’s family initially reported his cause of death as a heart attack, the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office later claimed that Batayeh took his own life.

David House (Dr. Delacolvi)

December 15, 1958 – November 27, 2016

David House’s Dr. Delacolvi was Walter White’s oncologist throughout seasons 1 and 2 of Breaking Bad. Like several other late Breaking Bad actors, the AMC crime drama was House’s most significant credit.

House also had bit parts in several other TV shows and movies, including 2011’s Paul and 2013’s The Host, and was also a prominent radio personality on Albuquerque station KUNM. The actor was born in Detroit, Michigan, and died in Albuquerque after succumbing to a brain tumor on November 27, 2016, at the age of 57.

Wolf Muser

October 23, 1950 – March 30, 2022

Appearing in Breaking Bad season 5, episode 2, “Madrigal,” Wolf Muser played Herr Herzog, the CEO of Madrigal Electromotive GmbH, the conglomerate that owns the Los Pollos Hermanos franchise. In his scene, Herzog assures the DEA that his company will cooperate in the investigation of Gus Fring.

Muser’s breakout came in 1985, when he played Marcello Armonti in the NBC soap opera, Santa Barbara. The actor also notably played Ramon Veloso in Breaking Bad and Adolf Hitler in Prime Video’s masterpiece sci-fi series The Man in the High Castle.

Muser was born in Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany. The circumstances surrounding his death are mostly unknown, simply that he passed away on March 30, 2022 at the age of 71.

Michael Showers (Union Rep)

March 14, 1966 – August 22, 2011

Actor Michael Showers joined the cast of Breaking Bad in season 3, episode 7, “One Minute,” as an unnamed union rep. Throughout his career, Showers played bit parts in several popular TV shows, including The Vampire Diaries and Treme.

Showers was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 22, 2011 at the age of 45. Tragically, his body was found in the Mississippi River, and the cause of death was later reported to be drowning.

Isaac Kappy (Rowdy Prisoner)

February 17, 1977 – May 13, 2019

Isaac Kappy briefly appeared in Breaking Bad season 2, episode 1, “Seven Thirty-Seven” as a “rowdy prisoner.” Kappy’s other notable acting credits include playing Garfunkel in the Jay Baruchel and Kristen Bell-starring Fanboys and a pet store clerk in the MCU’s first Thor movie.

Kappy was born in Albuquerque and died by suicide in Bellemont, Arizona on May 13, 2019 at the age of 42.

Saginaw Grant

July 20, 1936 – July 27, 2021

Veteran actor Saginaw Grant had a small role as “Native American Man” in Breaking Bad‘s masterpiece “Ozymandias” episode, in which Hank Schrader is famously killed.

Grant had a prolific acting career, with over 50 credits to his name. He appeared in popular TV shows like My Name Is Earl, Community, and American Horror Story, and his film credits include The World’s Fastest Indian and The Lone Ranger. In addition to being an actor, Grant served as the Hereditary Chief of the Sac and Fox Nation.

The late actor was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma and died on July 27, 2021 at the age of 85. His friend and publicist reported that Grant died peacefully in his sleep.

Shari Rhodes

July 14, 1938 – December 20, 2009

Shari Rhodes only appeared in one Breaking Bad episode, season 3, episode 3, “I.F.T.” as “Bingo Lady“. While Rhodes was not an actor — Breaking Bad is her only acting credit — she was a renowned casting director and producer who worked on iconic movies like Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. On Breaking Bad, she served as a location casting director.

Rhodes was born in Paris, Texas, and died at the age of 71 from breast cancer on December 20, 2009. Her Breaking Bad episode aired posthumously, and she was memorialized in the credits with a card saying, “Dedicated to our friend Shari Rhodes.“

Release Date

2008 – 2013-00-00

Showrunner

Vince Gilligan

Directors

Vince Gilligan, Michelle Maclaren

Writers

Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, Vince Gilligan, George Mastras, Moira Walley-Beckett, Sam Catlin, Thomas Schnauz