Ever Since I Met You

Written by Thomas Schnauz for the award-winning drama series Breaking Bad, this contemporary dramatic monologue captures a volcanic confrontation. Jesse erupts in a raw, emotional outburst aimed directly at Walter White, rejecting him outright. Dealing with heavy themes of betrayal, anger, loss, and isolation, the one-minute scene delivers an intense surge of unresolved grief and fury.

Jesse is a young man in his twenties who fits the mould of the outsider, rebel, and wounded anti-hero. Beneath his aggressive, defensive posturing lies a profound vulnerability rooted in total devastation and crushing loneliness. His anger is not simply malicious; it is a desperate reaction to feeling discarded, manipulated, and stripped of everything meaningful in his life.

This monologue delivers exceptional dramatic impact within a compact sixty-second window, making it ideal for holding an audition panel's attention. It allows an actor to showcase dynamic emotional progression, shifting rapidly from explosive resentment to gut-wrenching despair. Casting teams can instantly assess your ability to manage high-octane contemporary drama while keeping the performance deeply grounded and truthful.

This piece is best suited for male actors aged 18 to 25 targeting intense, vulnerable, or outsider casting types. It serves as powerful contemporary material for drama school auditions, agent showcases, self-tapes, and rigorous general practice. Actors who want to demonstrate raw, unvarnished dramatic instincts will find this material particularly rewarding.

Resist the temptation to shout through the entire monologue at a single, unvarying volume. Focus on the underlying hurt beneath the hostility, allowing moments where the crushing isolation breaks through the rage. Keep your focus sharply locked on your unseen scene partner, using every phrase as a deliberate effort to inflict pain and push them away.