Better Call Saul Star Bob Odenkirk Talks About Son’s Coronavirus Experience: It Was ‘Pretty Bad’ and ‘Worse Than the Flu’

On The Late Late Show with James Corden, actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk opened up this week about the ordeal his family endured when his son contracted the covid-19 coronavirus. “It was pretty bad and it was worse than the flu,” he said.

Nathan Odenkirk is 21-years old, and is at home with his parents and sibling. Corden asked the ‘Better Call Saul’ star about how the illness affected his son and the whole family. “It must be terrifying as a parent,” said Corden.

“You know, this was pretty early on, it was a couple weeks ago, and we were all learning about this thing around that time,” said Odenkirk. “I had heard, it was kind of talked about that young people don’t get hit very hard. Since then we’ve learned that that’s very much a case-by-case basis.”

“I just wanted to feel that it would be okay,” he said of his initial reaction.

“In the end, it was pretty bad, and it was worse than the flu,” said Odenkirk. “According to him the pain in his throat was the worst thing of all. But I think also the fatigue. And it lasted longer than the flu.”

“But you know, I’d say he got out pretty easily, obviously, compared to a lot of people who suffer a lot and then worse,” he added. “I mean it got scarier the longer it went, and the further we got from it, I became aware that we got very lucky.”

Odenkirk’s son suffered asthma growing up, and they were concerned about it as a complication, making the ordeal all the more frightening.

He talked about how people are working together and “caring for each other” by observing the stay-at-home orders, even when it is hard.

“That’s been heartening,” he said.

Watch the full interview below, via The Late Late Show with James Corden on YouTube.

Odenkirk’s sincerity and down-to-earth tone and demeanor really made this whole interview excellent. Heartening, even.

—

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com