Its impossible to not swear in front of Aaron Paul.
People curse around me all the time now, Paul says, laughing, over beers in West Hollywood.
But hes not much of a swearer, in truth.
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Because Paul is not Jesse Pinkman, andBreaking Badis over, and its time to forge his next act.
But also, I do want to move forward.
His three new projects will all land on screens within days of one another in the coming weeks.
As different as the characters are, theyre all grappling with tormented minds exactly the way Paul likes it.
I want to do stories that have my heart racing, he says.
Thats why you dont see me in romantic comedies.
I love sappy movies, I do, but Im drawn to characters that are going through a lot.
I dont know what that says about me.
It wasnt always that way.
I was having dreams as Jesse about the darker side of Albuquerque and drugs, he admits.
The key now is leaving the series behind.
Understandable, but transitioning off a hit can be trickier than it seems.
Paul letting go of Jesse was the easy part.
Getting us to let go of Jesse is not.
But the movie underwhelmed, earning just $43.6 million domestically.
It was heartbreaking for me, he says.
But I feel fortunate.
This is typical Paul.
He doesnt tend to dwell on negatives.
Heres a guy who loves engaging in acting and life far too much to rest on one shows laurels.
He agreed to voice a character but put a moratorium on live-action television.
I kept that in a dark corner, he says.
I didnt even open up to the idea of doing TV again.
So when he was offeredThe Pathlast year, he hesitated, hard.
But it was still TV, so Paul passed.
And then, un-passed.
It was one of the hardest decisions, he says.
I had two sleepless nights.
I couldnt stop thinking about the character, the world.
Because ifBreaking Badwas lightning in a bottle, Aaron Paul is a storm chaser.
I love pushing the limits, he says, with a glint of mania in his eyes.
Its a little crazy, but I think all actors are a little mad, in a beautiful way.
If that last statement makes you want to pump your fist and say, Yeah, bitch!
Hes used to it.
A version of this story originally appeared inEntertainment Weeklyissue #1405, on newsstands now.
