‘Breaking Bad’ Creator Vince Gilligan Heading to ‘Community’
As the creator and creative engine of the AMC drama Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan is known for his skills behind the camera as a writer and director – and not as a thespian. But he’ll get a chance to flex his acting muscles with a guest role in the upcoming fifth season of the NBC comedy Community.
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According to Entertainment Weekly, Gilligan will appear as a “smooth-talking gold digger” who ends up fueling a fight between Annie (Alison Brie) and Abed (Danny Pudi). The episode is in production this week, and it’s expected to air in “late winter or early spring.” Fellow Breaking Bad alumnus Jonathan Banks will also appear as a criminology professor in an 11-episode run.
Although Breaking Bad wrapped up its final season back in September, Gilligan has a full schedule of TV work ahead of him. One notable project is the CBS detective drama Battle Creek, which revives a script he originally wrote for the network back in 2002. Gilligan will serve as executive producer, while House creator David Shore will serve as showrunner. Meanwhile, Gilligan is working with writer-director Peter Gould to produce Better Call Saul, the upcoming Breaking Bad prequel that will star comedian Bob Odenkirk as Walter White’s resourceful lawyer, Saul Goodman.
Last month, Gilligan revealed more details of the spinoff, which will use an hour-long fomat and hopefully include cameo appearances from Breaking Bad co-stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.