In the long history of the entertainment industry, several incredible TV shows have been made that continue to be watched and loved by fans. Among such TV shows is Bryan Cranston’s Breaking Bad. Starring as the high-school chemistry teacher who goes on to become a ruthless drug kingpin to make ends meet, it was Cranston’s performance that has made the AMC show a timeless classic today.
However, Cranston was not the first choice for the role and was nearly replaced by another well-known star, Matthew Broderick. In a new interview, the Emmy-winning star revealed how he nearly one of the best roles of his career.
Bryan Cranston Nearly Lost His Breaking Bad Role to Matthew Broderick
For them, someone who had previously portrayed the unserious Hal in Malcolm in the Middle portraying a character as serious and fierce as Walter White was unthinkable (via The Hollywood Reporter). Hence, they wanted somebody like Matthew Broderick, as Cranston revealed during his recent appearance on James Corden’s This Life of Mine.
We shot the pilot of ‘Breaking Bad’ in February and March of 2007. Had ‘Malcolm In The Middle’ gone an eighth season, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Or you’d be sitting here, but you’d be talking to Matthew Broderick or someone else who played Walter White instead of me.
Stated the Oscar-nominated star. He then revealed that it was showrunner Vince Gilligan, who helped him bag the role.
Broderick was being considered, but it came to me because of the fact [creator and showrunner] Vince Gilligan said, ‘No, he’s the guy.’
Fortunately for him, Gilligan knew the true extent of Bryan Cranston’s acting abilities and was certain that only he could nail the dramatic and serious aspects of Walter White’s character.
Bryan Cranston Does Not Miss His Breaking Bad Role
Bryan Cranston was already famous before he was cast as Walter White in AMC’s Breaking Bad. Yet, the show helped him reach new heights of popularity, making him world-famous for his genius talent. His portrayal of White further helped him win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2008, 2008, 2010, and 2014, an incredible feat for any actor.
But when asked by Fox News if he misses playing the titular character, Cranston replied,
No, I actually don’t miss playing Walter White. The reason is because it was such a complete experience for me. It was a very rich, rewarding beginning, middle and end. We came to a conclusion, and we laughed, and we cried, and we hugged each other. And we went our separate ways.
And so, while the actor is grateful for the opportunity, he has his own reasons for not missing playing the character. As Breaking Bad continues to be enjoyed by thousands of fans around the world, it is shocking to think how the series would have turned out had Gilligan failed to convince the studio to cast Cranston.
Breaking Bad can be streamed on Netflix.
