Conan O’Brien and Bob Odenkirk may be longtime friends and collaborators, but when it comes to the “Better Call Saul” actor’s action starring gig in “Nobody,” O’Brien just wants to get beaten to death.
That was his ask on a 2021 episode of “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” in promotion of the first “Nobody” — but alas, audiences can’t expect the comic to pop up in its sequel either, which hits theaters Friday via Universal Pictures.
“When the first ‘Nobody’ came out, I had you on, I loved it, we had a great interview, and I said at the end, ‘If you ever make another one, you’ve got to put me in it.’ You went, ‘Yeah! Yeah!’” O’Brien recalled on Monday’s episode before lamenting: “I’m not in it! I just want to be beaten. I want somebody to beat the s–t out of me.”
The host’s actual 2021 pitch went a bit differently: He positioned himself as a potential “sexual dynamo” for the still unconfirmed sequel, pressuring Odenkirk to find a role “for an old friend.” The Emmy nominee did seem interested in the idea.
“I’m hoping there are sequels. I’m also hoping if there is a sequel, you’ll find a role for an old friend,” O’Brien said at the time. “With maybe a little makeup I could not look like myself and I could play a guy who’s a sexual dynamo.”
“OK — will you start training for that?” Odenkirk asked, playing along.
“Yes I will. Yes I will,” the host assured. “I’m taking the medication now.”
Unfortunately, their game plan didn’t come to pass. But on Monday’s episode of “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” the two longtime pals began looking ahead to a potential third installment to round out a “Nobody” trilogy.
“When ‘Nobody 3’ comes out, I just want to be — put me in clown makeup, it won’t be me, and I’ll be a small … But I just want someone to beat me to death,” O’Brien insisted, to which Odenkirk responded: “We’ll make it happen.”
So, here’s to hoping.
Elsewhere in the interview, O’Brien enthused over Odenkirk’s chameleonic career — one that he admittedly never saw coming. (The two met in 1988 comedy circles and eventually worked together on “Saturday Night Live.”) The actor also opened up about his scrape with death on the set of “Better Call Saul” after suffering a heart attack in July 2021, and more.
Watch the full episode below:
“Nobody 2” hits theaters nationwide on Friday.
