Anna Gunn: Why I Looked So Different on Breaking Bad (2024)

The actress explains she was suffering from health issues while portraying Skyler White

By

Aili Nahas

Aili Nahas is the West Coast Deputy News Editor at PEOPLE. She is also the TV deputy in Los Angeles as well as the Weddings Editor. Aili has spent nearly two decades in the entertainment industry and 12 years at PEOPLE.

Published on September 24, 2013 08:00 AM

Anna Gunn: Why I Looked So Different on Breaking Bad (1)

There may be one more episode left of Breaking Bad, but Anna Gunn appears to have already put Skyler White behind her.

Wearing a floor-length Romona Keveza gown, Gunn, 45, showed off a very different look when she took home the Emmy for best supporting actress on Sunday for her portrayal of a teacher-turned-meth-kingpin’s wife on the AMC series.

“I was actually ill while I was filming the show and it affected my weight,” Gunn told PEOPLE at the Governors Ball after the awards ceremony. “They gave me cortisone and I puffed up and gained weight. Now I’m better, thank God.”

Though she declined to disclose further details as to what she suffered from, the now healthy actress added, “I’m doing fine, thankfully. I’m feeling really good.”

As for staying in shape, she credits her figure to her two daughters, who received a shout-out in her acceptance speech.

“I run around after two kids!” she said. “And I do Pilates.”

Anna Gunn: Why I Looked So Different on Breaking Bad (2024)

FAQs

Why does Skyler's face change? ›

"They gave me cortisone and I puffed up and gained weight," she added. "Now I'm better, thank God." Better than ever, actually. Gunn picked up a much-deserved trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Skyler White at the event -- and looked gorgeous in a Romona Keveza gown.

Why is Skyler so heavy in Season 4? ›

Talking to People magazine, Gunn explained that while filming the show, she was on medication that caused her to gain weight, and that she's simply back to her old, fitter self.

Why did Skyler change Season 5? ›

In Breaking Bad season 5, Skyler fell into a deep depression when she realized how fearful she was of her husband. Her terror stemmed from the death of Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) at the hands of Walt, which proved the great lengths Walt went with his growing drug empire.

Why is Skyler so dramatic in Breaking Bad? ›

She Was Blocking Walt's Empire

One of the big reasons why Skyler's character got worse is because people saw her as someone who was Walt's biggest roadblock. While she was oblivious to his secret job for a while, when she finds out she isn't supportive and it risks everything going up in smoke.

Why does Skyler always wear green? ›

Skyler starts out blue, but turns dark once she starts to figure out Walt's secret. Her timeline turns deep blue, almost purple, as her flirtation with Ted grows, and then it turns green once she discovers Walt's stash of money.

Why does Skyler always wear a bracelet? ›

Why, yes! That's exactly what it was: the bracelet Skyler White wears in Breaking Bad. Actually, she wears two, stacked. Skyler White wearing her bracelets like a shield against her husband, Walter White, as he morphs from nerdy chemistry teacher into treacherous drug kingpin on Breaking Bad.

What disease does Anna Gunn have? ›

Anna Gunn Was Diagnosed With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The 2013 Emmy Awards Star is currently battling lupus. Lupus (also known as SLE or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is an autoimmune disease where one's body's immune system attacks its own tissue and organs.

Can lupus cause weight gain? ›

Weight changes — Lupus can sometimes cause weight loss or weight gain. Weight loss may be unintentional and due to decreased appetite or problems with the digestive system (see 'Digestive system' below). It can also be a side effect of some medications used to treat lupus.

Who does Skyler sleep with? ›

Skyler has an affair with Ted in season three to exact revenge upon Walt, but ignores Ted's offer to leave some of her things at his house. When Walt finds out about their affair, he tries to confront Ted, who hides in his office.

What happens to Skyler after Walt dies? ›

When her life fell apart and Walt disappeared, Skyler lost her assets and moved in with her kids in a small apartment with a job as a taxi dispatcher. It was revealed that her sister, Marie, reached out for a truce, so it's likely that the two reconnected shortly after the series finale.

Does Skyler still love Walt? ›

She even organized for family intervention, with Hank and Marie present. And when she had separated ftom Walt, she made sure to check up on him at his new apartment. All their troubles aside, Skyler truly loved Walt.

Is Skyler the villain? ›

In “Breaking Bad,” Walter White (Bryan Cranston) builds a multi-million dollar meth empire, all while lying to his family and mercilessly killing those who stand in his way. But it was often his wife Skyler White, played by Anna Gunn, who was viewed as the villain in the story.

Why does Skyler look different in Season 5 of Breaking Bad? ›

I am always kind to celebrities.) Gunn looked radiant at the Emmys on Sunday, where she explained to reporters the reason for her altered appearance.”I was actually ill while I was filming the show and it affected my weight,” she told People. “They gave me cortisone and I puffed up and gained weight.

Is Walt abusive to Skyler? ›

You see, in season two of Breaking Bad, Walt sexually assaults Skyler. You might not remember this, and I couldn't blame you. It didn't cause too much of a stir. The assault is violent; he yanks down her underwear and pushes her into a submissive position against the refrigerator.

Why does Marie have so much purple? ›

Throughout the series, Marie is almost always shown wearing the color purple, which creator Vince Gilligan explained is symbolic of her being misled; for example, Walt and Skyler were deluding Marie about who was behind the drug business.

Why is Hank always in orange? ›

Think about what Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) wears throughout much of the first season. He can often be found wearing orange shirts, and this is due to the fact that he's on the trail of Heisenberg, getting closer to discovering the kingpin's true identity with each episode.

Why is everything purple in Hank and Marie House? ›

In Breaking Bad, Purple is primarily worn by Marie and it is used to symbolize protection, self-deception, and complete lack of involvement in the meth trade. Marie often wears the color purple to show her self-deception. Throughout the show he often tries to convince herself that she is somebody that she isn't.

Does Walter White's house only have one bathroom? ›

There are two bathrooms, and they are back to back, sharing one wet wall. When Walt gets up in that scene in the middle of the night, and Skyler won't let him in to use the master bathroom, he's angry (it's his house after all).

Why does Skyler call Walt Jr Flynn? ›

This changed, however, in the final season of Breaking Bad when Walt's actions were unearthed. Walt Jr. was disgusted by his father and vowed to protect his mother and baby sister. In doing so, he permanently dropped his birth name and went by Flynn to further wipe his connection to Walt.

Why did Walt keep the eye? ›

The fact that Walt holds on to the eye represents God's omnipresence and Walt's awareness of God 'watching' him and realisation that death and judgement is inevitable.

Did Skyler White gain weight in Season 4? ›

Skylar White, or Anna Gunn if you may, was actually suffering from her illness which lead to the apparent weight gain. It was not for any other role or pregnancy. In her own words, "I was actually ill while I was filming the show and it affected my weight. They gave me cortisone and I puffed up and gained weight.

Does cortisone make you put on weight? ›

Weight and physical appearance

Description: corticosteroids are known to frequently cause weight gain in patients. This gain is is usually moderate, consisting of 1 to 2 kilograms of added mass.

How old was Anna Gunn in Breaking Bad? ›

Does lupus change your face? ›

Thick, scaly patch of skin (discoid lupus)

People who have discoid lupus develop these patches. Most patches appear on the face, scalp, or ears, but patches can develop elsewhere on the skin. Without prompt treatment, these patches tend to stay on the skin for a long time — sometimes for years.

Can lupus change your appearance? ›

Lupus can also drastically change one's appearance. Patients can have hair loss, rashes and scarring, as well as medication side effects like weight gain, hair loss and stretch marks,” says Dr. Jolly, who has led a number of studies on body image in people with lupus.

What is lupus hair? ›

But some people with lupus develop round (discoid) lesions on the scalp. Because these discoid lesions scar your hair follicles, they do cause permanent hair loss. Lupus can also cause the scalp hair along your hairline to become fragile and break off easily, leaving you with a ragged appearance known as lupus hair.

Who did Skyler White cheat on? ›

When Walt defiantly moves back in, Skyler retaliates by initiating an affair with Ted and coldly informing her husband that she cheated on him. Even as her marriage crumbles, Skyler permits Walt to take care of Holly and defends some of his actions to her lawyer, who advises that she leave Walt immediately.

Is Holly Walt's daughter? ›

Holly White (Elanor Anne Wenrich) is the daughter of Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler White (Anna Gunn) in AMC's hit series Breaking Bad.

How much money did Skyler give to Ted? ›

During Ted's interview with the IRS, Skyler shows up as an incompetent airhead who was hired for her looks only and fools the IRS agent into dropping charges if Ted manages to pay up to $600,000 in back taxes. Skyler launders the money to Ted by having Saul claim his Great Aunt in Luxembourg left it to him in her will.

Did Walt Jr get the money? ›

After Breaking Bad

In an interview, show creator Vince Gilligan confirmed that Walter Jr. eventually received his father's drug money through Gretchen and Elliott Schwartz, which he had arranged beforehand.

Did Saul get 86 years? ›

He is sentenced to 86 years in prison, where he is revered by fellow inmates who recognize him as Saul. Kim visits him and they share a cigarette. As she departs, he goes to the prison yard to see her off and gestures finger guns. Kim acknowledges the gesture and leaves.

Did Flynn get Walt's money? ›

In the Breaking Bad universe, once the Schwartz's set up the Trust as irrevocable, Flynn will be getting that money whether he wants it or not. The good part about Irrevocable Trusts are the tax benefits and how they're pretty much set in stone.

Who did Jesse Pinkman love? ›

During his time on the series, Jesse Pinkman was involved with two women, namely: Jane Margolis and Andrea Cantillo. Jane, a tattoo artist, was a hedonistic lover of life while Andrea was a reserved mother. There is an argument for each of them as better long-term partners for Jesse.

Why is it called Felina? ›

Title reference and music

The episode title, "Felina", is inspired by the character Feleena from the song "El Paso" by Marty Robbins, which plays a major role during the episode.

Was Walter White in love with Jesse? ›

Walter did love Jesse because he's the closest thing to a father that Jesse had, and their relationship is a lot closer than Walt had with his own son. If you remember from earlier seasons, Walt Jr.

How smart is Skyler White? ›

Although not as smart as her genius husband, Skyler is highly intelligent. She manages to figure out her husband's double life with the little information she had in a matter of months.

How old was Skyler when she met Walter? ›

Age-Gap Romance: It's not especially noticeable by the time of the show, but Skyler is actually quite a bit younger than Walt, with their backstory detailing that she met him in 1990 when she was only 20 years old and he was already 32.

What is the power of Skyler? ›

Skyler was first introduced to Garena Free Fire in July 2021 in the OB26 update. His in-game description calls him “a CEO and superstar”. Among the special abilities is Skyler Riptide Rhythm where he can shoot a sonic wave that can destroy five gloo walls with a range of 100 meters.

Who is the true hero of Breaking Bad? ›

Walter Hartwell White Sr., also known by his pseudonym Heisenberg, is the main protagonist of the American crime drama television series Breaking Bad, portrayed by Bryan Cranston.

Who is the scariest character in Breaking Bad? ›

Jack is a sad*stic man who enjoys torturing and humiliating people. He groomed his nephew Todd Alquist into a cold-blooded murderer like himself, which gives him the number one spot as the most reprehensible villain on the list.

Which is the highest rated episode of Breaking Bad? ›

Season 5, Episode 8 - “Gliding All Over” - IMDb: 9.6/10. Episode eight of the final season arguably sees Walter White at his most ruthless and inhumane - and technically, he doesn't even lift a finger.

Why does Anna Gunn look so different in Season 4 of Breaking Bad? ›

I was actually ill while I was filming the show and it affected my weight,” Gunn told PEOPLE at the Governors Ball after the awards ceremony. “They gave me cortisone and I puffed up and gained weight.

Why does Skylers face change? ›

"They gave me cortisone and I puffed up and gained weight," she added. "Now I'm better, thank God." Better than ever, actually. Gunn picked up a much-deserved trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Skyler White at the event -- and looked gorgeous in a Romona Keveza gown.

Did Walter White abuse Jesse? ›

Jesse, who has arguably suffered more abuse from Walt than even Skyler. Every time he's tried to form a significant connection outside of Walt – Jane, Andrea, Brock, Mike – Walt has taken every single one of them away, either through direct or indirect means.

Who was the first person Walter White killed? ›

Krazy-8 was one of the first characters that Walt directly killed, and the action put him one step closer to becoming the feared drug lord Heisenberg.

Did Walt know police were listening when calling Skyler? ›

Yes, he knew that the police were listening in. You're right about that, Spencer. It's how he hopes to absolve her from his crimes. If the police think that Walt coerced Skyler into helping build his meth empire, maybe she'll escape punishment.

Why does Skyler's sister always wear purple? ›

Throughout the series, Marie is almost always shown wearing the color purple, which creator Vince Gilligan explained is symbolic of her being misled; for example, Walt and Skyler were deluding Marie about who was behind the drug business.

What did Ted do to Skyler? ›

Ted harbored feelings for Skyler White during her brief stint at the company when she was young, and eventually made a drunken pass at her (for which he later apologized profusely). Skyler left the company soon afterward, but Ted's feelings for her remained intact for years.

Does Skyler sleep with Beneke? ›

After previous flirting, Skyler White propositioned Ted at his workplace and they returned to the Beneke residence to have sex.

Why does Skyler stare at the pool? ›

As Walt talks to his in-laws at a nearby table, his wife Skyler stands staring into the bright blue water, filled with dispair. She fears for the safety of herself and her children because of the monster her husband has become.

Was Hank's body ever found? ›

In the end, Hank's body was returned to his family and Walter was killed after seeking vengeance on Uncle Jack.

Why was Marie obsessed with purple? ›

In Breaking Bad, Purple is primarily worn by Marie and it is used to symbolize protection, self-deception, and complete lack of involvement in the meth trade. Marie often wears the color purple to show her self-deception. Throughout the show he often tries to convince herself that she is somebody that she isn't.

Why do Hank and Marie not have kids? ›

Most likely, I think, is that the writers of the show didn't give Hank and Marie kids because it would be an unnecessary distraction from the main plots and story lines of the series. In short, they would get in the way.

Did Skyler cheat on Walt? ›

When Walt defiantly moves back in, Skyler retaliates by initiating an affair with Ted and coldly informing her husband that she cheated on him. Even as her marriage crumbles, Skyler permits Walt to take care of Holly and defends some of his actions to her lawyer, who advises that she leave Walt immediately.

Why did Skyler give Walt's money to Ted? ›

Skyler walks in on Walt, and, when Walt asks about the missing money, discloses that she gave the money to Ted to pay off the IRS. Walt screams in agony, before breaking down laughing as a frightened Skyler backs away.

Does Hank forgive Walt? ›

In Breaking Bad, does Hank feel respect/sympathy/forgiveness for Walter just before he dies? Yes. Forgiveness may be a stretch, but certainly some degree of understanding. It's my favorite scene in the series.

Why is Walt's water brown? ›

Meanwhile, Walt leaves an apology on Skyler's voicemail for his behavior at the party. He starts washing the dishes, but stops when the faucet spits out brown, frothy water from the house's faulty water heater.

Why did Walt keep giving Walt Jr tequila? ›

Walter is also teaching his son a lesson about responsible drinking. By giving him a bottle of tequila, he is showing Hank that it is possible to enjoy alcohol without getting drunk.

Why was Walt so mean to Skyler on the phone? ›

Although it took some viewers (including this one) a while to catch on, most everyone agrees that Walt's call to Skyler was intended for the police he knew would be listening, that in casting her as a terrified woman under the thumb of a homicidally violent drug kingpin, he was trying to exonerate her, to absorb her ...

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