Exclusive: 'Breaking Bad' co-star Jonathan Banks to guest star on 'Parks and Recreation'
The character actor will play Ben Wyatt's father
Jonathan Banks from "Breaking Bad" will be on "Parks and Recreation."
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Mike Ehrmentraut is coming to "Parks and Recreation."
In an episode of the fifth season of "Parks and Rec," Jonathan Banks from "Breaking Bad" will play the father of Adam Scott's character, Ben Wyatt.
"We were working the character description of Ben's dad," explains "Parks" co-creator Mike Schur, "and I said aloud, 'He should act like Mike Ehrmentraut.' So somebody said, 'Well, why can't we just get Jonathan Banks?'"
Schur is a huge "Breaking Bad" fan, as are the rest of his writers.
"To me, at this exactly moment in time, he's everyone I know's favorite actor," says Schur. "After that arc" — which I spoke to Banks about here — "he's the actor about which we've spent the most time talking in the room over the last year. It's awesome. He's going to be here at 2 p.m. today and everyone's geeking out. A lot of the writers are coming up with reasons to be down on the set today."
Banks' episode will likely be the season's sixth. The season premiere is next Thursday, September 20, at 9:30 p.m. on NBC.
UPDATE: TV Guide is reporting that Glenne Headly will guest in the same episode as Ben's mom.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupMorahan
September 12, 2012 at 3:22PM EST Reply to CommentAre we having fun yet?
Shut the fuck up and let me die in peace.
Bgklein hahaha, perfect
September 12, 2012 at 4:26PM ESTGreg
September 12, 2012 at 3:25PM EST Reply to CommentWeirdest and awesomest casting news ever?
sepinwall Banks actually has a lot of sitcom experience. Check his resume on IMDb.
September 12, 2012 at 3:26PM ESTvelocityknown He was hilarious in that menstruation film.
September 12, 2012 at 4:34PM ESTDave I @VelocityKnown, well played!
September 12, 2012 at 8:40PM EST-Cheers
Chelsea
September 12, 2012 at 3:26PM EST Reply to CommentMan, Ben's dad hates him doesn't he? I cannot wait for this.
Stan
September 12, 2012 at 3:31PM EST Reply to CommentAlan, didn't you and Dan discuss something like this on a Podcast? Something about Breaking Bad existing in Pawnee or in Community, but Parks and Rec and Community not existing in the Breaking Bad universe? I can't remember the specifics, but that was the first thing I thought of when I read this headline.
c
September 12, 2012 at 3:31PM EST Reply to Commentthe premiere is the 20th, not the 13th
Alysse
September 12, 2012 at 3:31PM EST Reply to CommentI am soooo excited about this!! I loved him on Breaking Bad. And if I recall correctly he played Ed O'Neill's brother on Modern Family last season, so he's definitely done the sitcom thing before. I really can't wait for this episode and curious if they'll also get a big name for Ben's mom.
LesIsMore TV Guide just confirmed today that Glenne Headly (of ER, Monk and Grey's Anatomy) will be playing Ben's mom. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Parks-Recreation-Glenne-Headly-1052973.aspx
September 12, 2012 at 6:44PM ESTBgklein
September 12, 2012 at 4:26PM EST Reply to CommentI thought the premiere was September 20th...
Dr. Gross
September 12, 2012 at 4:32PM EST Reply to Comment"Dr. Gross, would you like if your favorite comedy on TV were to basically import a character from your favorite drama on TV?"
I would like that quite a bit, thank you.
Col Bat Guano
September 12, 2012 at 4:52PM EST Reply to CommentNow if only they could revive Gus Fring as Anne's love interest....
J McNulty
September 12, 2012 at 5:35PM EST Reply to CommentSuddenly Ben's anxiety around cops makes so much sense.
Jared K
September 12, 2012 at 7:46PM EST Reply to CommentI'm just as excited about this news as I was when last year I learned that Michael K. Williams would be doing an arc on the third season of Community.* The through-line, as always: those who work on great shows watch, appreciate and learn from those who work on other great shows. Then they 'borrow' the best actors from those shows and insert subtle callbacks for the faithful to dissect and obsess over. The usual end result: unmitigated awesomeness.
*Those who feel that Williams was under-utilized as Dr. Marshall Kane have a legitimate argument. My personal opinion is that the reality of "Omar on Community!" was never likely to live up to the brilliance standards of "Omar on Community" that our collective imaginations could come up with. But I thought Williams did a great job in his brief run, and I'm sure Banks will as well. After all, if "A man must have a code" in any TV universe, surely Leslie Knope can learn to take the "No more half measures" approach the next time Ben tries to advocate for the merits of calzones over pizza.
goodhorse
September 12, 2012 at 9:21PM EST Reply to CommentNow this is COOL NEWS!
belinda
September 12, 2012 at 11:33PM EST Reply to Commentsuper awesome cakes! :DDD
David Sanders
September 13, 2012 at 11:56PM EST Reply to CommentSo..... Ben is Kaylee's father? Or merely her uncle.
Andrea Harris
November 9, 2012 at 2:12AM EST Reply to CommentI love that my google search re parks and rec, and your post came up.