Breaking Bad's Walt and Jesse to Be Enshrined as Bronze Statues in Albuquerque

Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie are all set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, making the city almost as much of a character as the drug dealers themselves. Now, series creator Vince Gilligan is paying it forward by commissioning bronze statues of Breaking Bad's iconic duo, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, to be displayed prominently in downtown Albuquerque.

"Over the course of 15 years, two TV shows and one movie, Albuquerque has been wonderful to us," Vince Gilligan said in a statement. "I wanted to return the favor and give something back."

The statues, which are created by sculptor Trevor Grove, will be unveiled at the Albuquerque Convention Center on July 29. Both Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, who played Walt and Jesse, respectively, will be in attendance.

Cranston told the Albuquerque Journal that he and Paul are excited to be involved with the project. "We’re coming to do this unveiling of these statues," he said. "It's humbling and fun to think about that."

Albuquerque has become synonymous with Breaking Bad, and tourists have flocked to New Mexico to see the show's most iconic filming locations. Cranston said he's still in awe that the drama has had such an impact.

"We're so excited that the shows that had no idea that this would ever become, you know, what they became and that it's now drawing tourism," he said. "We meet all the people all the time (that) said, 'Hey, I just came back from Albuquerque, I took the Breaking Bad Tour and this and that."

"It makes me smile because it's one way to say thank you to the city and to the state for being such great hosts to us over all these years."

Breaking Bad is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Kirstie Renae is a writer, blogger, and Austin-based actress with a penchant for binge-watching TV with her dogs. Follow her on Twitter @KirstieRenae.