A Journey Through Diverse and Powerful Roles

 

Who is Anna Gunn?

Anna is an American actress, perhaps still best known for her role as Skyler White in the TV series “Breaking Bad” (2008-2013), among several other roles she’s had during her career.

Anna Gunn Wiki: Age, Childhood, and Education

Anna Gunn was born on 11 August 1968, in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, to parents Sharon Anna Kathryn ‘Shanna’ Gunn, an interior designer, and Clemens Earl Gunn Jr, a real estate investor. Of Polish, English, Slovak, German, Irish and Dutch ancestry, Anna spent her childhood in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she went to Santa Fe Preparatory School, from which she matriculated in 1986.

She then enrolled at Northwestern University, where she majored in theater and graduated in 1990, but also spent one semester abroad to study at the British American Drama Academy.

Anna moved to Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, when she finished her studies. Before her career got going, she lived together with fellow actress Pamela Adlon.

Career Beginnings

Anna began her career in 1992, with a minor role as Liz in the science-fiction series “Quantum Leap”. The same year, she was chosen for the part of Arden in the sitcom “Down the Shore”, which aired until 1993.

Two years later, she had her first film-starring role, as Liz Godlove in the thriller “Without Evidence”, co-starring Scott Park. The film is based on the true story of Kevin Francke, who was the director of the Oregon Department of Corrections and was murdered in 1989. The film follows two young detectives who investigate the case to uncover the truth about Francke’s murder.

Anna continued to build her career in the late ’90s, and from 1997 to 2002, she played the recurring role of Jean Ward in the legal drama series “The Practice”, which starred Dylan McDermott, LisaGay Hamilton and Kelli Williams.

Anna had a strong start of the 2000s, appearing in a number of TV series as a guest star, including “Bull”, “The Guardian”, and “Dragnet”.

In 2004, she was Madeline in the popular TV series “Six Feet Under”, while from 2005 to 2006, Anna portrayed Martha Bullock, loving wife of Seth Bullock, played by Timothy Olyphant in the Western drama series “Deadwood”. Anna was praised for her portrayal of Martha, as critics noticed her ability to showcase both strength and vulnerability of her character. This was the turning point in her career, as the role of Martha opened many doors and made her a go-to actress for strong female characters.

‘Breaking Bad’ and Further Success

Subsequently, from 2008 to 2013, Anna played the character of Skyler White in the critically acclaimed AMC drama series “Breaking Bad”. Skyler was the wife of the show’s protagonist, Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston), and became an integral part of the show’s storylines as the series progressed.

At the beginning of the show, Skyler was portrayed as a relatively normal suburban wife and mother. However, as the series developed, she became increasingly involved in her husband’s illegal activities, and her character underwent significant changes as a result. The turning point came in the show’s second season, when she discovered that her husband was a drug dealer. Initially shocked and horrified by this revelation, Skyler eventually became complicit in her husband’s activities, helping him to launder money and cover his tracks.

Throughout the series, Skyler was often portrayed as a complex and conflicted character. She was shown to be fiercely protective of her family, but also capable of lying and manipulating in order to protect herself and her loved ones. As the show progressed, Skyler became increasingly hardened by her experiences, and her relationships with other characters, particularly her husband, became strained.

One of the most notable moments in Anna’s portrayal of Skyler came in the show’s final season when her character was the subject of a significant backlash from some viewers. Some critics and fans of the show criticized Skyler’s behavior as being unsympathetic and unlikable, particularly in her treatment of her husband. Despite this controversy, Anna’s portrayal of Skyler was widely praised by critics and audiences alike.

Her work on “Breaking Bad” helped to establish her as a leading actress in the industry and won her two Primetime Emmy Awards.

Other Work and Recent Projects

While working on “Breaking Bad”, Anna featured in several other projects.  In 2012, Anna played the character of Laurie Bonner in the film drama “Little Red Wagon”, based on the true story of Zach Bonner, a young boy who sets out to help homeless children after Hurricane Charley devastates his hometown in Florida.

The same year, she starred as June Prutt, the mother of the film’s protagonist, a high school student named Bethany, played by Ashley Rickards, in the comedy-drama film “Sassy Pants”.

Anna continued with starring roles following the finale of “Breaking Bad”. For instance, in 2016, she starred in the thriller film “Equity” as Naomi Bishop, an investment banker who is trying to navigate the cut-throat world of Wall Street, co-starring James Purefoy, Alysia Reiner and Sarah Megan Thomas.

The same year, Anna was Dr. Elizabeth Davis, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigating the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009, in the biographical drama film “Sully”, directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Todd Komarnicki. The film is based on the 2009 autobiography by Chelsey ‘Sully’ Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skies.

Her character is a skeptical and aggressive investigator who was determined to prove that Captain Sullenberger had made a mistake in his decision to land the plane in the river rather than attempting to return to the airport. As the investigation progressed, Dr. Davis became increasingly aggressive with Sullenberger and his co-pilot, Jeff Skiles, played by Aaron Eckhart.

In 2019, she reprised the role of Martha Bullock in the television movie “Deadwood: The Movie”, while in 2021, she was Nancy in the comedy film “Land of Dreams”.

Recently, she starred in the thriller film “The Apology”, written and directed by Alison Locke, and co-starring Linus Roache and Janeane Garofalo. She is now working on the upcoming TV drama series “Sugar”, which will star Colin Farrell, Massi Furlan and Nate Corddry.

This holiday season, one will receive. Anna Gunn stars in #TheApology. In Theaters, @Shudder, and @AMCPlus December 16th. pic.twitter.com/sUlJLCFIC6

— RLJE Films (@RLJEfilms) December 4, 2022

Stage Career

In addition to her on-screen career, Anna is known for her on-stage work. Some of the plays she’s appeared in include “The Rehearsal” on Broadway in 1996, then in an Off-Broadway production of “Sex with Strangers” (2014), and “The Night of the Iguana” in 2019.

Net Worth

According to sources, Anna Gunn’s net worth is estimated at over $9 million, as of early 2023.

Personal Life, Marriage, Husband, Children

Anna Gunn married actor and real estate broker Alastair Duncan in 1990. The couple met while they were both studying at the British American Drama Academy in London. They have two daughters together, Eila Rose and Emma, but divorced in 2009. There’s no information of her having subsequent relationships.

Appearance and Body Measurements

Anna Gunn has blonde hair and blue eyes. She stands at a height of 5ft 9ins (1.77m), while she weighs approximately 150lbs (67kgs). Her vital statistics are 36-29-37, and her bra size is 34B.

Interests and Trivia

Anna suffers from the autoimmune disease, Lupus, which causes the immune system to attack the organ system and can damage any organs in the body, particularly the kidneys. Selena Gomez also suffers from the same condition.

She isn’t active on social media; her portrayal of Skyler White brought a lot of negative attention, and she even received online abuse from the fans of the series.