Bob Odenkirk has played a police chief (in Fargo), a pair of reverends (in Ed and 2019’s Little Women adaptation), the President (in Long Shot), and the Devil himself (in Hell and Back), but the actor has yet to play a kingly kind of leader. And while he apparently doesn’t have any love for monarchies on the whole, the Better Call Saul vet was shocked to discover that he’s directly tied to a royal bloodline. And it’s not one of Slippin’ Jimmy’s scams, either.
Even with Better Call Saul having set the most unfortunate Emmy record possible already in 2024, Bob Odenkirk was all smiles during his conversation with Henry Louis Gates Jr. on PBS’ Finding Your Roots, where he was primed to share his thoughts on the monarchic ruling system. In his words:
I’m an American. I’m not a monarchist. I don’t believe in that. You know, I feel like it’s a little twisted. I understand why society built itself around monarchs and leaders, and they passed them down through generations. I understand that goes through every society, every civilization. But I think we’ve gone to a better place with democracy, and that we should keep going down that road.
It’s probably a good thing Odenkirk opted for such a well-worded and centrist form of answer, as opposed to more of a seething screed. Because that’s when Henry Louis Gates Jr. dropped the info bomb that the Nobody star is actually the 11th cousin of King Charles III.
Though he was clearly ready to hear something surprising — why would Gates have invited him to be on Finding Your Roots if his roots didn’t bloom with interest? — Odenkirk certainly didn’t seem primed to learn he’s a distant cousin of the highest-ranking monarch in England. That would be a shock to anyone, even if they hadn’t spent the previous 30 seconds downplaying the monarchy.
The way that works is, Bob Odenkirk's fifth great-grandfather, whose name was Friedrich Carl Steinholz, was the son of the Duke of Plön, who had connections with various other European royal clans through intermarriage.
And what was his first reaction beyond a big hearty laugh?
Well maybe I’ll change my mind on that.
I can't wait to see if this reveal is what inspires Bob Odenkirk to possibly take on a role where he plays a king himself. Or, if nothing else, maybe he can land a show with Dominic West, who portrayed King Charles in the final two seasons of The Crown.
Incidentally, King Charles was recently admitted to the London Clinic to seek treatment for an enlarged prostate, but without any serious worries attached to it. So if that runs in the family, watch out!
With hopes for Nobody 2 to get made sooner rather than later, Bob Odenkirk is next set to star in the bonkers sorta-remake The Room Returns!, which will co-star horror director Mike Flanagan and House of Usher’s Kate Siegel, as well as O.G. The Room star Greg Sestero. On the small screen, Odenkirk was one of several A+ guest stars in Season 2 of The Bear, so here’s hoping for more of that in Season 3.
Finding Your Roots airs Tuesday nights on PBS at 8:00 p.m. ET. Head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are set to reign in the new year.
