Bryan Cranston

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Birthday:

7 March 1956, Hollywood, California, USA

Birth Name:

Bryan Lee Cranston

Height:

179 cm

Bryan Cranston is an American actor, voice actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is known for portraying Walter White on the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad (2008), Hal on the Fox comedy series Malcolm in the Middle (2000), Doug Heffernan's neighbor Tim Sacksky on the CBS comedy series King of Queens, Dr. Tim Whatley on the NBC comedy series Seinfeld (1989), astronaut Buzz Aldrin in From the Earth to the Moon (1998), and Ted Mosby's boss on How I Met Your Mother (2005). His role in Breaking Bad earned him four Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe nominations and one win in 2014, nine Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations with four wins, and six Satellite Awards nominations with four wins. In June 2014, he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Lyndon B. Johnson in the play All the Way on Broadway. He reprise his role in the television film of the same name, which debuted on HBO in May 2016. For the Trumbo (2015), he received widespread acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Cranston also appeared in several acclaimed films, such as Saving Private Ryan (1998), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Drive (2011), Argo (2012), and Godzilla (2014). Series for his role in Malcolm in the Middle.Bryan was born in Canoga Park, California, to Audrey Peggy Sell, a radio actress, and Joe Cranston (Joseph Louis Cranston), who was also an actor (and a boxer). His maternal grandparents were German, and his father was of Irish, Austrian-Jewish, and German descent. Show less «

I've got a whole mantel just waiting for those awards to come, a whole big mantel. There's just so much available space. I've got the light ...Show more »

I've got a whole mantel just waiting for those awards to come, a whole big mantel. There's just so much available space. I've got the light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, all ready to shine on them. I dust it off every day. Show less «

The only thing I say a prayer for is for health and safety for my family. Some people even include happiness and a hope for something else. ...Show more »

The only thing I say a prayer for is for health and safety for my family. Some people even include happiness and a hope for something else. Not me. I think everything else is on your own. That's the way I look at it. If you can just maintain health and safety, you're in good shape. And anything else, you have to create. Show less «

My wife, Robin Dearden, is the cook, really. I'm a good helper and I clean like nobody's business. I can load a dishwasher like nobody else.

I don't want to say it's not important to win [an Emmy], because it is. Would it be important to me personally to win? It would be wonderful...Show more »

I don't want to say it's not important to win [an Emmy], because it is. Would it be important to me personally to win? It would be wonderful; I would be delighted. Is it important for an actor's career? I would say Yes. Show less «

You know, this business is pure luck. It truly is. There is a tangible amount of luck that is necessary for a successful career, and the onl...Show more »

You know, this business is pure luck. It truly is. There is a tangible amount of luck that is necessary for a successful career, and the only way that luck happens is if you're prepared for it and you stick with it. If you drop out of the scene, your opportunity for luck diminishes greatly. No one's going to say, "Hey you're an insurance salesman. Come and do this movie.". Show less «

I think the best-written films or television series have a measure of the opposite of what they are. We have some darkly comic moments sprin...Show more »

I think the best-written films or television series have a measure of the opposite of what they are. We have some darkly comic moments sprinkled throughout Breaking Bad (2008), as we had some sweet sentiment or serious drama sprinkled throughout Malcolm in the Middle (2000). I think any good movie does that, any good play. You have to break it up. You can't have one train going in one direction all the time. Audiences are more sophisticated than that. Show less «

I love playing pompous asses. I think I would like that on my tombstone: "He was the definitive pompous ass.".

I love playing the know-it-all guy who is also kind of stupid. That guy who thinks he's great, but he's not. That's a wonderful character to...Show more »

I love playing the know-it-all guy who is also kind of stupid. That guy who thinks he's great, but he's not. That's a wonderful character to play. Kind of the Barney Fife type. He'll tell you what's going on, but inside he's very insecure. That's always a fun character. And I loved, for pure fun and enjoyment, my character Hal on Malcolm. Because I found his emotional core, and once I found that, I could leap off from that and the writers started to write for it. And that core was fear. Hal was afraid of everything. Every single thing. He was afraid of heights, he was afraid of failing as a father, he was afraid of getting fired... Someone would walk into the room and surprise him, and he'd yelp, because he was afraid of noise-afraid of a lot of things. That lent itself to a lot of humor, but it was also a true emotion that you could lock in on. Show less «

It's all about the written word. Whatever's well-written. It doesn't matter if it's features, or children's stories... it's all about the wr...Show more »

It's all about the written word. Whatever's well-written. It doesn't matter if it's features, or children's stories... it's all about the written word. And it could come in any different form, but that's the criteria. That's it for me. Show less «

I don't even think about the money when I consider roles, I turn it over to my agency. Money will come. I respect it but I don't thirst for ...Show more »

I don't even think about the money when I consider roles, I turn it over to my agency. Money will come. I respect it but I don't thirst for it. I wish Americans thought more like Europeans when it comes to money and work. They take time off, they do what they love. We think work is the most valued commodity. Really, the most valued commodity is time. Show less «

... I don't really relax. When I sleep I relax. I don't have hobbies, I don't collect things. I enjoy creating.

Stars have much more power. I'm the star of my show Breaking Bad (2008), and I have the power to try to sway opinions. Absolutely. And that'...Show more »

Stars have much more power. I'm the star of my show Breaking Bad (2008), and I have the power to try to sway opinions. Absolutely. And that's the reason you want to become a star as an actor, to be able to have more control of your destiny. Actors basically are the type of person that with three seconds left, we want the ball. Give us the shot to make it or miss it. We'll take the lumps if we miss it, but we want the chance to get the glory. An acting coach of mine, Shirley Knight - a great actress - said that it's the actors' arrogance. We want the chance. Give it to me. We know plenty of people in life, back in Little League or whatever, who'd say, "Oh, please don't hit it to me. Please don't hit it to me. Oh dear God, please don't make me have to make this decision. Please don't make me get onstage." There are those people, and then there are those of us that say, "Give me the shot. Let me take it.". Show less «

(2011, on spending two years riding motorcycles around the United States with his brother when he was younger) It was just two confused boys...Show more »

(2011, on spending two years riding motorcycles around the United States with his brother when he was younger) It was just two confused boys running away. My brother was on the verge of becoming a deputy sheriff, and I was grappling with whether I wanted to be a police officer or an actor. So we got on our motorcycles and just left California with no plan. I had $70 in my pocket, and that soon ran out. We got odd jobs wherever we could. We worked at cafés, in carnivals, at beachfront hotels selling suntan lotion, earning just enough to get back on the road. We camped everywhere, the cheaper the better. Just a patch of grass was all we needed. A few times we stayed at midnight missions, in Texas and Louisiana, and those were always scary. They were like prison... First of all, they take all your clothes, because they don't want you to leave before the sermon. You're standing naked with all these alcoholics, getting a cold shower with a bar of soap the size of a quarter. Then you're given a blanket and a bunk, and you try to get some sleep in a room full of people with the worst gas in the world. All night they're farting and belching and coughing up blood. The next morning, you get your clothes back, but they all smell like booze and shit. And then you listen to proselytizing while choking back melba toast and canned orange juice. Honestly, after sleeping in a mission, I bet prison would be a breeze. Show less «

(2011, on getting into acting) When I was 16, I joined the LAPD Explorers in the West Valley. Then I went to L.A. Valley College to study po...Show more »

(2011, on getting into acting) When I was 16, I joined the LAPD Explorers in the West Valley. Then I went to L.A. Valley College to study police science, and my counselor told me I needed to take some elective courses. So in my second year, I took classes in acting and stagecraft. On my very first day, I walked into class, and there was this 17-year-old girl sitting on the floor, wearing only a tube top and hot pants. I was like "Oh...my...God." From that moment on, I was done with police work. The girls in theater arts were so much prettier. I changed the course of an entire life based on the libido of an 18-year-old boy. During my first acting class, I did a scene with a girl - a girl I'd never met before - and we were supposed to be making out on a park bench. I was really hesitant about it, but she attacked me. She wasn't just kissing me, she was deeply tonguing me, arms and hands everywhere. I was so flummoxed, I forgot my lines. Afterward, I was thinking, I need to ask this girl out; she's obviously really into me. So during the break, I asked her if maybe she wanted to go out sometime, get some lunch or dinner. And she looked at me as if I were a puppy. She was like "Ooooh, sweetie, no, no, I have a boyfriend." I was devastated, but at the same time, I was like, What a great actress! She totally had me fooled. Show less «

(2011, on growing up in the San Fernando Valley) I grew up in Canoga Park, which is in the west end of the Valley. On the East Coast, people...Show more »

(2011, on growing up in the San Fernando Valley) I grew up in Canoga Park, which is in the west end of the Valley. On the East Coast, people had snow days, but we had smog days. I'm not kidding. Every so often, there'd be a smog advisory, and parents would get warnings like "Don't let your kid go outside!". That's a weird thing to hear from your parents. Don't go outside because there's too much smog. But sometimes we'd go out anyway. We'd put on our big smog shoes and go traipsing through the smog. We'd throw smog balls and have smog fights. Or we'd build smog men, using carrots for their noses. It was great fun. Show less «

(2011, on his income as a successful actor) Honestly, I don't have a clue how much money I make. It really doesn't matter to me. My agents k...Show more »

(2011, on his income as a successful actor) Honestly, I don't have a clue how much money I make. It really doesn't matter to me. My agents know, and sometimes they ask me, "You want to know how much you make?". I don't care. I'm sure it's fine. I mean, I don't want to sound glib. I know money is important, but ever since I stopped worrying about finances, I've made more money than I ever thought I'd make in my life. The fact that I make a dependable income at all is just amazing to me. Show less «

[2011, on his sex scene with Julia Roberts in Larry Crowne (2011)] Oh, definitely intimidating. Before we shot the movie, I went on a diet a...Show more »

[2011, on his sex scene with Julia Roberts in Larry Crowne (2011)] Oh, definitely intimidating. Before we shot the movie, I went on a diet and bleached my teeth and got one of those spray tans. I wanted it to seem like we were at least viable as a couple. So we're doing the scene, and right away I'm lying on top of her. I met her maybe a month before, and now I'm lying on top of her. Our noses are touching, we're waiting, and we hear Tom Hanks, the director, say, "Okay, we need to make an adjustment on the camera. Hang on." So there I am, lying on top of Julia Roberts, and we're making small talk. "So...how are you? You have kids, right?". We're talking about family, whatever, just passing the time. It was probably more awkward for me, because under the sheets, she was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Tom kept tugging on her shirt. "Aw, Julia, Julia. Come on, we've got to show something. We've got to show a little skin." And me, I'm just wearing a cock sock. Show less «

(2011) I think actors have a tendency to want to hang out with other actors, and there's a reason for that. When you're out there with civil...Show more »

(2011) I think actors have a tendency to want to hang out with other actors, and there's a reason for that. When you're out there with civilians, you get the same kind of questions again and again: "How do you memorize all those words?" or "Have you ever met so-and-so?". But when you're around other actors, you can talk about other things. Nobody's asking, "What's it like to be in movies?". Because we all already know. Show less «

(2011, on being an ordained minister) When I was in my late teens I spent my summers on Catalina Island. I met this guy named Reverend Bob, ...Show more »

(2011, on being an ordained minister) When I was in my late teens I spent my summers on Catalina Island. I met this guy named Reverend Bob, an older guy in his 40s who made a living doing wedding ceremonies. One time, he said to me, "Bryan, I messed up. I booked two weddings on the same day. Would you help me out?". I jokingly said okay, and he typed up a certificate and sent it to the secretary of state, and just like that, I was a minister. Since then, I've married maybe a dozen couples. Show less «

[2011, on if he's experimented with drugs as his Breaking Bad (2008) character has] Never meth, but I've had several drug experiences. Pot a...Show more »

[2011, on if he's experimented with drugs as his Breaking Bad (2008) character has] Never meth, but I've had several drug experiences. Pot always just made me sleepy. As a teenager, I had friends who wanted to get high and go to concerts. But if I smoked a joint, I would pass out before the first song. As I've gotten older, I don't even like drinking, anymore. I had a big birthday not long ago, double nickels, and the metabolism of your body changes when you get to this age. Interestingly, it's the exact opposite problem I had with pot. If I have more than just one glass of wine with dinner, I'll wake up in the middle of the night, not to pee but because of the sugars in the wine. Then I'm not well-rested and the rest of the day is ruined. It's just not worth it. Show less «

[2011, on Breaking Bad (2008)] We have a DEA chemist on the set. He taught us how to make methamphetamine, which is a very detailed process....Show more »

[2011, on Breaking Bad (2008)] We have a DEA chemist on the set. He taught us how to make methamphetamine, which is a very detailed process. I still have my notes. I didn't want to learn about the back-alley process. I wanted to know how to make it perfectly, the absolute purest meth, and what equipment and chemicals to use, because that's what my character does. So if I had to, I could make more than just meth; I could make really, really good meth. It has created a very healthy sideline for me if this acting thing ever stops working. Show less «

A lot of people think, "This guy does that really well. Here is a role just like that for him." When I left Malcolm in the Middle (2000), I ...Show more »

A lot of people think, "This guy does that really well. Here is a role just like that for him." When I left Malcolm in the Middle (2000), I got two offers to do television pilots and they featured fun, goofy dads. I said no, and one of the producers said, "Why would you say no? You're perfect for it and it's exactly what you do." I said, "It's exactly what I did for seven years, but I am not going to help anyone put me in a pigeonhole". So I won't be looking at scripts about a teacher who becomes a drug dealer for a while. Show less «

I don't need to work, but I love to work and I will make the movie if I would want to go and see it. But if I hear about a story that you co...Show more »

I don't need to work, but I love to work and I will make the movie if I would want to go and see it. But if I hear about a story that you could do in a sketch - and a lot of films should be just sketches - then I am not interested in it. I think too many movies attempt to stretch a very small idea. They will make something about a kid trying to lose his virginity while going to college. It's like "Really, there is a whole movie about that? You are asking me to spend almost two hours to see some kid trying to get his rocks off?". Show less «

[2013, on his character, Walter White, from Breaking Bad (2008)] His soul is calloused.

[on the death of James Gandolfini] I'm saddened by James Gandolfini's passing. He was a great talent and I owe him. Quite simply, without To...Show more »

[on the death of James Gandolfini] I'm saddened by James Gandolfini's passing. He was a great talent and I owe him. Quite simply, without Tony Soprano there is no Walter White. Show less «

My face, in repose, is mean. I scare people. You know how some people have a built-in smile? I look like I'm going to eat children.

[on winning a 2014 Emmy Award] I happened to stumble on finding a passion that bloomed.

(2009) When you walk into a room for an audition, a big chunk of an actor getting a job is confidence. It's talent and confidence, and if yo...Show more »

(2009) When you walk into a room for an audition, a big chunk of an actor getting a job is confidence. It's talent and confidence, and if you can convey both of those things, you're in great shape. Show less «

(2009, on working in features versus TV work) It's all about the written word. Whatever's well-written. It doesn't matter if it's features, ...Show more »

(2009, on working in features versus TV work) It's all about the written word. Whatever's well-written. It doesn't matter if it's features, or children's stories... it's all about the written word. And it could come in any different form, but that's the criteria. That's it for me. Show less «

(2009, on Erotique) That was a risqué one. I wanted to do something that got me out of my comfort zone, and I had this opportunity, and it ...Show more »

(2009, on Erotique) That was a risqué one. I wanted to do something that got me out of my comfort zone, and I had this opportunity, and it was a very sexy script. It was testing the bounds. How far would I go? There was a masturbation scene and me feeling up a girl... I almost kidnapped her, basically. And it was kind of a risqué thing. I haven't seen it in years and years, so I can't really remember all the details. Let's just let our imaginations take care of the rest. Show less «

(2009) Actors take on all kinds of characters. Like with Breaking Bad, I've never felt like, "Uh-oh. Is this going to offend people?" No, yo...Show more »

(2009) Actors take on all kinds of characters. Like with Breaking Bad, I've never felt like, "Uh-oh. Is this going to offend people?" No, you take the role because you feel that you can do a good job with it. This isn't high school, where you can get cast as the grandfather even though you're 17. When you become a professional, you learn quickly what you're good at and what you're not good at, so hopefully you can focus on those things and then expand to see what works well for you. But no, I don't think I owe anybody any apologies or anything like that. Viewers can determine what they want to watch and what they don't want to watch. Show less «

[observation, 2016] I'm on a campaign of my own. I'm trying to instill a sensibility in America that we all love this country and we all wan...Show more »

[observation, 2016] I'm on a campaign of my own. I'm trying to instill a sensibility in America that we all love this country and we all want what's best for this country -- we just have different ideas about how to go about it. Show less «