They say that there's always a strong woman behind a successful man, and when it comes
to Bob Odenkirk and Naomi Yomtov that couldn't be more true.
She supported him and believed in him when he didn't even believe in himself.
If it wasn't for her, his career wouldn't have been the same.
So how did she encourage him to take on a role that propelled his career to the ultimate
level of success?
Naomi Yomtov first spotted Bob Odenkirk back in 1994 during one of his comedy shows in
West Hollywood.
Somehow, she knew she was going to marry him before they actually met 18 months later.
The actor was already well on his way to making a name for himself when he was hired as a
writer for Saturday Night Live in 1987.
In fact, Bob even won an Emmy for his work on the show just two years later.
Naomi worked as a producer in Hollywood, so she was no stranger to the entertainment industry
and what it took to succeed.
Naomi had a crush on Bob for a while before they had even met, and she had told a few
people about how she felt for the actor.
She knew that he was going to be the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with.
However, when friends offered to introduce her to him, she was too nervous and refused
to meet him.
When the pair were finally introduced to one another, she confessed that Bob seemed "disinterested"
in her.
Finally, being able to speak to her crush felt like a bit of a letdown, and Naomi thought
that she didn't have a chance with him.
However, it wasn't much later that they bumped into one another again at a comedy club in
Santa Monica, and this time they seemed to click.
Naomi said, "I didn't know why he finally noticed me.
It's not like I suddenly became his type.
I still don't think I'm his type, but we get along great."
When it comes to Bob's previous relationships, there is not much known about his love life.
He's done his best to keep his personal life private and away from the spotlight as much
as he could.
As far as we know, Bob hasn't had many serious relationships and had never previously been
engaged to anyone.
He dated fellow actress Janeane Garofalo for about two years, but their relationship eventually
fizzled out.
There's not much known about his relationship with Janeane or why they broke up - so all
we can assume is that things simply didn't work out.
It's possible that Odenkirk didn't pay Naomi that much attention the first time they met
because he was still with Janeane at the time.
So after he and Janeane parted ways, he was able to open himself up to something new.
So, while it wasn't an instant connection, Bob and Naomi finally hit it off the second
time around.
It didn't take long for the pair to start dating, and in 1997 they decided to make their
commitment to each other official by getting married.
Just one year after their marriage, the couple welcomed their son into the world, Nathan.
Just two years later, they had a daughter, Erin.
However, those first few years of marriage were tough on both Naomi and Bob.
While the actor had made a name for himself in the comedy scene, he still wasn't consistently
working and was struggling to get his film career to take.
Some of the movies he had made were, as he described, "stinkers."
He admitted that he started to feel the stress affect him financially, especially after they
had kids.
Bob explained, "As a result I found myself in a great deal of debt, and I did sweat it
at that point.
That's when I felt the hammer.
That was a rough patch, but I did have faith that I would eventually come out of it, and
I did."
But the couple was determined to push through their tough time.
With Bob's acting skills and Naomi making a name for herself as a producer, they seemed
like an unstoppable pair.
They were getting along so well that they figured it would be a good idea for them to
work together too.
The pair eventually made the decision for Naomi to take over as his manager.
She was no stranger to managing actors and, over the years, even represented other comedy
stars like Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Derek Waters, and Jenna Fischer.
But Bob is clearly her biggest success story.
Bob shared that he respected Naomi because of how smart and informed she is, especially
about the industry they work in.
He knew that she would always have his best interests at heart when it came to his career.
He explained, "You want your wife or your partner to care about how it's making you
feel and not the thing itself.
If I said to Naomi, 'oh I wrote this pilot.
I turned it in [and the network said they didn't like it,' I don't want her to say,
'well, they're right.'"
However, the transition ended up taking more of a toll on their marriage than they thought.
The actor confessed that, at first, it was difficult to adjust to Naomi managing his
career.
In a 2020 interview, Bob shared, "Yes, it's hard.
We figured it out years ago but it was very hard for a long time."
While it might have been hard for the couple to adjust to working together, it turned out
to be all worth it.
Do you know why?
Well, if it wasn't for Naomi, Bob wouldn't have taken on the role of the sleazy lawyer
we've all come to know and love, Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad.
At first, Bob had his reservations about playing the role.
He was used to writing and creating his own work, so being part of something he hadn't
created himself seemed like too much of a challenge.
Not only that, but he would also have to spend months away from his family while shooting.
So it all seemed like too much of a challenge for him.
Naomi explained, "He had to come to terms with a paradigm shift of his career from a
director and a creator of comedy."
But Naomi believed that he could do it and that he was the perfect fit for the role.
So it's all thanks to her that Bob's career took a completely different turn than he expected.
She added, "It was interesting to see him embrace an opportunity like that and go with
it ... He had to see himself through different eyes."
There's no doubt that Breaking Bad was a huge success.
Fans of the show loved Bob's character so much that producers decided to create a prequel
show for his role.
Generally, spin-offs aren't nearly as successful as the original shows, but Better Call Saul
was such a big hit that there are some that think it's even better than Breaking Bad itself.
Better Call Saul gathered a total of 41 nominations for Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards,
and Bob was propelled into a new level of stardom that he had never expected.
Unfortunately, it's possible that Bob was pushing himself a little too hard to please
everyone around him.
In 2021, shocking news broke out that the actor had collapsed on the set of Better Call
Saul and had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment.
At first, it was unclear what had caused Bob to collapse, but it was later determined to
be the result of a "heart-related incident."
Everyone was frightened and concerned for the actor's well-being.
Even Bob's former co-star, Byran Cranston, wrote on Instagram that he had been "anxious
all morning" about the news of Odenkirk's collapse.
He shared, "Please take a moment in your day today to think about him and send positive
thoughts and prayers his way, thank you."
Thankfully, Bob made a full recovery and was able to return back to work to continue shooting
for the show.
If one thing was for sure, the actor received so much love and support from everyone around
him and, of course, his thousands of fans.
A rep for the actor shared, "The immediate outpouring of affection and concern from fans
around the world is a clear reflection of his immense talents and ability to both move
and entertain people."
Twenty-five years later, Bob and Naomi are still going strong.
Even though they had a bit of a bumpy ride when they started working together, they were
able to stick it out and make things work.
In the world of Hollywood, where long-lasting marriages are a rarity, it's pretty clear
that this couple has stood the test of time.
When Bob was asked for the secret to a long-lasting marriage, he shared, "Patience.
Tell the truth.
Forgiveness.
Also, take care of your own issues, because even in marriage, your life is still your
life and your problems are still your problems.
You still need to manage that, and give each other space.
You need to grant your partner that respect."
When it comes to managing his fame and career, Bob has managed to stay afloat in an environment
where people tend to sink.
It's not unknown that many stars in Hollywood end up blowing it, either financially or creatively.
However, he's been able to stay grounded no matter how much attention he was getting.
He explained, "A lot of people get distracted by fame or drugs.
It's incredibly hard to guarantee quality that way, and just not satisfying.
I have always wanted a career, not fame.
I just want to keep working."
With multiple Emmy nominations for playing Saul, it's safe to say Bob was right to listen
to his talented wife!
Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk definitely knows who to phone in a crisis: his beloved
wife, Naomi Odenkirk!
They were able to fight through the tough times, and they were able to lean on each
other's support.
Naomi believed in Bob when he didn't believe in himself, and she supported him through
it all.
If that's not an inspirational love story, we don't know what is.
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