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Krysten Ritter didn't just appear in Breaking Bad, but she played one of the most emotionally devastating characters in the show. Her character being Jane Margolis, Jesse Pinkman's girlfriend, is still etched into the minds of numerous fans.
Jane's character arc on the show was powerful, and she was one such character who left behind a trail of consequences that eventually affected other characters. So yes, to answer the question, Krysten Ritter was in Breaking Bad, and her character's story is one that's worth exploring and talking about.
Krysten Ritter as Jane Margolis: More than just Jesse Pinkman’s girlfriend in Breaking Bad
When Jane Margolis was first seen in Breaking Bad, she wasn't a major character. She was Jesse Pinkman's landlord, and a tattoo artist, and well, she was also a drug addict, but she was trying to keep her life together.
But it was Krysten Ritter's performance that soon made the character stand out in the show. Eventually, she wasn't just a character anymore, just there to add some romance or stir up some scene, but in fact, her character served a purpose. She was layered, smart, sharp, and so, so human.
Jane had been sober for 18 months when she met Jesse. Their relationship started on a light note, with Jane slipping Jesse a drawing called Apology Girl after an awkward moment with her father. But things quickly got heavier. Ritter brought a real softness to performance of Jane, which made her downfall even more heartbreaking.
Despite her attempts to stay clean, Krysten Ritter's character relapsed: first with w*ed, then with hero*n. And she wasn't alone. She pulled Jesse into that relapse with her. Their addiction became a ticking time bomb, not just for their relationship but for everyone around them.
As Jesse fell deeper into the drug scene, Jane got more involved in his dealings. She even blackmailed Walter White into giving Jesse his cut from a drug deal; determined to use the money for a fresh start away from it all.
Jane wasn't painted as a villain, though. Krysten Ritter's portrayal made it clear: Jane was a complicated person stuck between recovery and escape. Her decision to run away with Jesse felt like desperation and love mixed together. But what came next turned her from just another side character into a pivotal piece of the Breaking Bad puzzle.
A scene that changed the course of Breaking Bad forever
Jane's death is one of those television moments that makes your stomach sink, not just because of what happens, but because of how it happens. In Season 2, Episode 12 (Phoenix), Jane dies of a heroin overdose. Krysten Ritter's character starts choking in her sleep right beside Jesse. Walter White enters the room, sees her in distress, and just... stands there. Watching. Doing nothing.
This scene shattered fans and the cast, as well. Krysten Ritter later reflected on filming the scene in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. She admitted,
"It wasn't really until we were shooting it that the whole death around the character hit me... you're in this death makeup; they built a cast for my chest so that Aaron Paul can really be pounding on my chest."
It wasn't just another death scene. It was raw, and that's what made it feel real.
Walter White's decision to let Jane die marked a major turning point for his character. It blurred the lines between who he used to be and who he was becoming. And Ritter, in her haunting final moments onscreen, became the symbol of that shift.
Jane's death didn't end with her. The emotional weight carried into the next season. Jesse was crushed, spiraling further into guilt and grief. Her father, Donald, devastated by her relapse and death, caused an air traffic control error that led to a tragic mid-air collision killing 167 people. One moment of loss spiraled into massive destruction and all rooted in the heartbreak of Jane Margolis.
Krysten Ritter's time in Breaking Bad might have been short, but it was unforgettable. Her character Jane wasn't just part of Jesse's story, but she was the catalyst for one of the show's darkest turning points.
Ritter brought humanity and pain to Jane, turning her into more than just a side character. Her performance left a scar on the series, and it was the kind of scar that stayed with you for quite a bit.
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