You probably know the face. It’s the face of a woman who, for five seasons, stood at the center of a cultural hurricane. When people talk about Anna Gunn movies and TV shows, the conversation usually starts and ends with Breaking Bad. And honestly? That’s fair. Playing Skyler White wasn't just a job; it was a gauntlet. She didn't just play a character; she became a lightning rod for a level of fan intensity that we rarely see in prestige TV.
But if you think she just appeared out of thin air to launder money for Walter White, you've missed a massive chunk of one of the most versatile careers in Hollywood. She’s been everything from a frontier mother in the lawless West to a high-stakes Wall Street shark.
The Deadwood Era and the Breakout
Before the blue meth and the Albuquerque sun, there was the mud and the blood of Deadwood. Most people forget that Gunn was a series regular on what many consider the greatest Western ever made. She played Martha Bullock, the wife of Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant).
It was a tough role. Martha was a woman bound by the rigid social codes of the 1870s, thrust into a town that had no codes at all. Gunn played her with this quiet, vibrating dignity. It’s the polar opposite of Skyler. In Deadwood, she was the moral anchor in a sea of filth. She later returned to this world for Deadwood: The Movie in 2019, proving she could slip back into that corset and that specific, Shakespearean dialogue without missing a single beat.
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The Skyler White "Character Issue"
We have to talk about it. You can't discuss Anna Gunn movies and TV shows without acknowledging the "Skyler hate." It was weird, right? People were rooting for a guy who poisoned children and manufactured narcotics, yet they saw the wife trying to keep the family together as the villain.
Gunn actually wrote a famous op-ed for The New York Times about this. She called it "I Have a Character Issue." She basically argued that the vitriol directed at her was a Rorschach test for how society views "strong women" who stand in the way of a male protagonist. Honestly, looking back in 2026, her performance has aged like fine wine. The nuance she brought to Skyler—the fear, the complicity, the eventual coldness—is what made that show work. Without her as the foil, Walt is just a cartoon.
Life After Breaking Bad: High Stakes and Small Towns
After the finale in 2013, Gunn didn't just coast. She took some big swings.
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- Gracepoint (2014): She starred in this American remake of the British hit Broadchurch. She played Detective Ellie Miller. While the show didn't catch fire the way the original did, seeing her go toe-to-toe with David Tennant was a treat for any procedurals fan.
- Equity (2016): This one is a hidden gem. It’s a "Wall Street" movie, but from a female perspective. Gunn plays Naomi Bishop, a senior investment banker. It’s cold, calculated, and brilliant. If you want to see her play someone with real power, watch this.
- Sully (2016): She had a supporting role in the Clint Eastwood film about the "Miracle on the Hudson." Playing Lorraine Sullenberger opposite Tom Hanks, she brought that grounded, supportive energy she does so well.
The Voice You Didn't Know Was Hers
Here’s a fun fact for the gamers. Long before she was an Emmy winner, Gunn was a staple in the Legacy of Kain video game series. She voiced Ariel, the ghostly balance guardian. If you grew up playing Soul Reaver or Blood Omen, you’ve had Anna Gunn’s voice in your head for decades. It’s one of those "wait, that was her?" moments that makes her filmography so much fun to dig through.
Recent Projects and What's New (2024-2026)
Gunn has stayed busy lately. In 2024, she joined the cast of the Apple TV+ series Sugar, starring Colin Farrell. She plays Margit, a character wrapped up in the neo-noir mystery of the show. It’s a reminder that she’s still a first-call actress for "prestige" projects that need a heavy hitter.
She also recently poked fun at her most famous role. In late 2025, she appeared in a viral commercial for a soda brand called Popwell. In it, she basically plays a version of Skyler in a kitchen, warning people that "cooking leads to bad things." It’s great to see her embrace the legacy while keeping a sense of humor about it.
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A Career Built on Complexity
Anna Gunn doesn't do "simple" characters. From her early days on The Practice as Assistant District Attorney Jean Ward to her guest spots on Seinfeld (she played Amy, the girlfriend Jerry suspected of making out with a cousin), she’s always picked roles that have a bit of a bite.
She’s a Northwestern grad who cut her teeth in London theater, and it shows. There is a technical precision to her work. She doesn't just "act" a scene; she dissects it. Whether she’s playing a sheriff in Prodigal Son or a fitness-obsessed socialite in Physical, she brings a level of intelligence that makes you pay attention.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of Anna Gunn movies and TV shows, don't just stop at the "I am the one who knocks" era. Check out Equity for a masterclass in corporate tension, or go back to Deadwood to see how she handles a period piece.
Your next steps for exploring Anna Gunn’s work:
- For the "Breaking Bad" fix: Rewatch the Season 5 episode "Ozymandias." It’s widely considered her best work.
- For something different: Stream Equity (2016). It's a rare lead role for her and shows a completely different side of her range.
- For the completist: Track down her guest appearance in Seinfeld (Season 5, Episode 3, "The Glasses"). It’s a hilarious 90s time capsule.
- For the gamers: Look up clips of Ariel in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver to hear her voice work.