Bryan Cranston Doesn’t Miss Playing Walter White on ‘Breaking Bad’

Bryan Cranston, known for his role as Walter White in Breaking Bad, has been making waves in the film industry once again. Currently appearing in Wes Anderson’s latest film, Asteroid City, Cranston’s portrayal of Walter White remains etched in the minds of many fans. The acclaimed series ran for five seasons, ultimately concluding with Walter’s demise. However, Cranston has managed to revive the iconic character in subsequent projects such as the film El Camino and the spin-off series Better Call Saul. Recently, Cranston engaged with fans in a video interview with GQ, where he shed light on the inspiration behind Walter White’s distinctive voice and shared his thoughts on missing the character.

When asked about how he developed Walter White’s voice, Cranston responded, “I opened my mouth and started speaking. What I did is I patterned Walter White after my father, who was 30 years older than me. I felt that Walter White was older than his actual years. The way he carried himself, the way he was burdened by society. He felt like a much older man than he really was. So I thought, I think if I just take on the characteristics of my father, more rounded shoulders for an older man, a deeper, deeper voice, that’ll do it, that’ll convey what I’m hoping to convey. And then when he transitions into becoming Heisenberg, his shoulders go back, his voice goes stronger, and becomes more formidable to his enemies.”

Reflecting on whether he misses playing Walter White, Cranston revealed, “I often get asked if I miss playing him, and I really don’t. It’s the feeling that you fully expressed yourself while the series was going on, and you spent it all while you were there. And I thought that Vince Gilligan wrote a beautiful beginning, middle, and end to that series, and so I didn’t feel like I needed more. And then all of a sudden, he called me and said, ‘We’re doing this movie, El Camino,’ which is the continuation of where the Jesse Pinkman character goes. I said, ‘Absolutely. I’ll do whatever you want.’ So Walter White shows up in there. Then they do Better Call Saul and we get a call for the last season. ‘We’d love you to come in and do it.’ ‘Okay, sure.’ Then I become Walter White again. Recently we did a PopCorners commercial for the Super Bowl, and I’m playing Walter White again. So even though I don’t miss him, I don’t get a chance to miss him. He keeps coming back into my life.”

Summing up his thoughts, Cranston expressed, “I think this character became so wonderfully and strangely iconic, surprising to me, that he’s kind of separated himself from the rest of the things that I do. So I feel good about that. And it was one of the most important turns in my career to take on that role and to do that. It changed the trajectory of my career for sure.”

Recent rumors of Cranston’s retirement have sparked speculation among fans. In an interview with GQ earlier this month, the actor’s comments about closing down his production company, prioritizing travel, and dedicating more time to his wife, Robin Dearden, led people to believe he was stepping away from the industry. However, Cranston promptly took to Instagram to clarify his intentions and put the retirement rumors to rest.

“Hey everyone, I hope this little message finds you well. Some news came out that wasn’t entirely clear…even to me. So I wanted to set the record straight. I am not retiring. What I am going to do is hit the pause button for a year after I reach my 70th birthday in 2026. Holy

Micajah

Covering superheroes, anything dark, horror, and more! Lead writer for Fan Fest