Statues of Walt and Jesse unveiled in ‘Breaking Bad’ city

Earlier today, Sony Pictures and the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, unveiled the official bronze statues of "Breaking Bad" characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. The statues were gifted to city by the creator of the show, Vince Gilligan.

Gilligan had commissioned the statues back in 2019, and they were made by artist Trevor Grove. The "Breaking Bad" creator decided to gift the statues to Albuquerque as a way of saying thanks for being the home of both "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" for over a decade.

Vince Gilligan said that he had the idea to make statues of the "Breaking Bad" duo after seeing some of Trevor Grove's work. "It was so amazing that it just got me to thinking: What if Trevor could sculpt a life-sized version of Walter White in bronze, a medium new to him, and what if he could toss in Jesse Pinkman to boot, and then we donate to the two statues to the city of Albuquerque as a thank-you for your hospitality?" Gilligan said during the unveiling ceremony.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the office of the city's mayor had revealed to KOAT news that New Mexico had experienced upwards of USD 385 million in economic impact as a result of the filming of "Breaking Bad" and spinoff/prequel series "Better Call Saul".

"We're humbled by this," said Bryan Cranston, the actor known for playing the infamous Walter White, adding, "When they first came to me and said that they wanted to make statues of us, I was excited and also really grateful....There's no preparation for saying you're getting a statue. I'm just rather grateful that it's indoors so that the pigeons won't crap on our heads."

Cranston and Paul will reprise their "Breaking Bad" roles in an upcoming episode of "Better Call Saul". The statues of their characters can be seen at the Albuquerque Convention Center