Breaking Bad - Season 5 - Dean Norris Interview

Thanks to http://breakingbad-greek.blogspot.com/ for sending us this video.

Q : How do you prepare for your role? What do you think ?
A : I spent a lot of time with real DEA agents and other law enforcement types. Fo each scene I just try to clear my mind of DEa and be fully present as Hank. I don't think them thru too much. I try to get in the right place emotionally and let what comes, come.

Q : Hank is the only character of the show, who doesn't break bad. Is it because Hank's job as a DEA agent, or because of Ηank's character ?
A : I think it is because of Hank's character. Plenty people from the DEA and is own wife wanted him to lie about beating up Jesse Pinkman in season 3. He couldn't do it because that's not who he is. He needs to have a clean soul. It almost lead to his death later in that episode, but Karma prevailed. I think he is a man with a strong sense of Justice.

Q : It's a thin line between denial and naiveness. How do you keep your character so perfectly balanced between those two?
A : I don't think he is either naive or in denial. He depends heavily on his ability to size up people. It has worked rather well--he was the only one who figured out it was Gus Fring. Because he has Walter "figured out" in his mind as a mild mannered, milquetoast kind of wimpy guy, this prevents him from seeing him as the possible Heisenberg.

Source: Full Interview @ breakingbad-greek