“Isn't there anybody else?” Bryan Cranston almost didn't star in Breaking Bad because of one scene from Malcolm in the Middle
Bryan Cranston almost lost his role in Breaking Bad over a scene with Malcolm in the Middle that executives couldn't get out of their minds.
Bryan Cranston has become the biggest star of Breaking Bad. His portrayal of Walter White delighted viewers, who agree that he is perfect for the role. However, before he was cast, this was not the opinion of the show's producers, who did not like the idea of involving him in the project.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, their problem with the actor was that through Malcolm in the Middle they associated him with comedy roles, which didn't fit the vision of Breaking Bad at all. To top it off, they couldn't get the scene from the first episode of the sitcom out of their minds, when the character played by Cranston was shaved.
We all still had the image of Bryan shaving his body in Malcolm in the Middle. We were like, “Really? Isn’t there anybody else?”
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, however, wanted to cast Bryan Cranston in the role of Walter White, and was therefore relentless. Determined to convince the executives that he would be a good choice, he instructed them to watch an X-Files episode in which Cranston plays a desperate man suffering from radiation exposure. Gilligan explained why the actor was cast in X-Files, which probably also determined why the showrunner wanted him in Breaking Bad.
That was a tricky part to cast on X-Files. We needed somebody who could be dramatic and scary yet have an underlying humanity so when he dies, you felt sorry for him. Bryan nailed it.
Gilligan managed to put his best foot forward. He believed that Cranston would do well in a dramatic role, and he was right – he gave a great acting performance in Breaking Bad. And he won various accolades for it, including Emmy and Golden Globe awards.
Interestingly, Malcolm in the Middle is set to return. New episodes of the series will air on Disney+, however the release date is not yet known. Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek will return to their roles.