Breaking Bad characters honored by City of Albuquerque with statue

Josh Tyler
A statue of Breaking Bad characters Walter and Jesse has been unveiled

Statues of Breaking Bad’s Walter White and Jesse Pinkman were erected in Albuquerque.

For many television viewers, Breaking Bad was the show that put the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico on the map.

Even though Breaking Bad dealt with subject matter that many would feel doesn’t reflect well on the city, it put Albuquerque on the map and has led to an increase in tourism for the city.

The desert landscape of the American southwest was the perfect backdrop for this show about power, ego, greed, and family. As a result, the city is now honoring the show by erecting a statue of two iconic Breaking Bad characters.

Breaking Bad statues unveiled

Shared on Twitter by Breaking Bad writer Thomas Schnauz, the statue depicts the show’s two protagonists Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), standing side-by-side.

Most notable is White’s appearance, which appears to be his ‘Heisenberg’ look from Breaking Bad’s fourth and fifth seasons. With a fully-shaved head and his pork pie hat in his arm, White appears as he did at his most ferocious.

Even though a statue of two drug dealers seems an odd choice, Breaking Bad has actually been a positive for the city.

Breaking Bad-themed attractions have become popular in Albuquerque, and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller expressed his appreciation for the show when the statue was revealed.

“The cast and crew of Breaking Bad changed American television and have had an unmistakable role in our city’s meteoric rise in the film industry,” Keller said. “In Albuquerque, they’ve been our friends and neighbors for the past decade and a half, and we’ll always be grateful to this team.”