Breaking Bad is easily one of the best television shows of all time, with Bryan Cranston’s performance as Walter White receiving critical acclaim. As a result, some fans of the series might be surprised that initially there was pushback regarding Cranston’s casting in the series.
During an interview, one of the show’s executives revealed why the actor’s casting was a major sticking point. Meanwhile, creator Vince Gillian also hinted that he too would have been hesitant to cast Cranston in the role if they hadn’t worked together. Here is why Gilligan had to fight to cast Cranston in Breaking Bad.
Breaking Bad Creator Vince Gilligan Fought Hard to Cast Bryan Cranston as Walter White
Actor Bryan Cranston is known for his performance as Walter White in Breaking Bad. Created by Vince Gilligan, the series follows Cranston’s high-school chemistry teacher with stage-three lung cancer who finds himself in the drug business.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, one former AMC executive who worked on the series spoke about the pushback regarding Cranston’s casting. According to the executive, the network was hesitant to cast Cranston because of his past work in the sitcom space.
We all still had the image of Bryan shaving his body in Malcolm in the Middle.
The former executive made the above statement, explaining that the network wasn’t convinced about Cranston’s suitability for the role.
From the executive’s words, it is evident that the network and studio were concerned about Cranston’s dramatic performance, especially since he had become a household name for his work on the Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, which lasted for seven seasons.
Vince Gilligan Admitted He Wouldn’t Have Cast Bryan Cranston If They Hadn’t Worked Together Before
During a separate interview, Gilligan addressed the concerns about casting an actor with sitcom experience for a series that required an intense dramatic performance. While talking to NJ, Gilligan admitted that he too would have been hesitant to cast Cranston as Walter White.
I hate to say it, but if I’d only known him from Malcolm, I never would have thought of him.
Gilligan made the above comment, referencing his work with Cranston on the sci-fi series The X-Files.
Cranston played the role of Patrick Crump, a villainous character who appeared in the second episode of the show’s sixth season. Gilligan worked as a writer on the episode. As a result, he was aware of the actor’s dramatic range.
Gilligan added that he was grateful to have worked with Cranston before the latter’s stint on Malcolm in the Middle. Thus, Cranston’s casting was justified by Gilligan and the actor proved the showrunner right with his performance as Cranston won five Emmys for his role in the hit crime-drama series.
Breaking Bad is streaming on Netflix.
