Vince Gilligan Explains the True Meaning of the Name Walter White

It’s now been 9 years since the conclusion of Breaking Bad, yet the series that tells the adventures of Walter White remains one of the most loved products in the world, just like its direct spin off, Better Call Saul. As time goes by, millions of fans dig for curiosities regarding this or that aspect of Breaking Bad . 

One of these questions, often unsolved, concerns the name of the protagonist. Why Walter White in particular? This question was answered in 2011, between the third and fourth season, by Vince Gilligan himself, creator and show runner of the series. In an interview with Vulture , the man explained how, in the creation of his character, he was looking for a name that was tasteless, but that he still managed to stay planted in the mind of those who listened to him.

Walter White attracted me for its alliterative sound and because it is strangely bland, yet it stays in your head – explained Gilligan – You know, white is the color of vanilla, of sweetness

In the same interview, the He explained how, in the creation of the scenes and characters, great importance has always been placed in the use of colors, even the clothes worn, which should have somehow referred to the state of the character. For this reason it was decided upstream that Marie , Hank ‘s wife , should have loved purple as it is the color of royalty. 

So the choice of White for the surname of the protagonist wanted, right from the start, to postpone the insipidity of Walt’s life before the start of Breaking Bad.