ACTOR · BORN 1956
Bryan Cranston
- Born
- 7 March 1956, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Known for
- Breaking Bad (2008), The Upside (2017), Jerry & Marge Go Large (2022), Last Flag Flying (2017)
54 archived facts 7 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Bryan Cranston (born 7 March 1956) is an actor best known for Breaking Bad, The Upside and Jerry & Marge Go Large.
Bryan Cranston over the years
54 Interesting Facts About Bryan Cranston
Interesting Facts (8)
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As a young man, Bryan Cranston dreamed of becoming a police officer, a reflection of his sense of justice and wish to serve the community, before his interest in acting took him down a different road.
Bryan Cranston: a sceneImage: Wikimedia Commons · Josh Jensen, CC BY-SA 2.0 - #007
Bryan Cranston and his Breaking Bad (2008) co-star Jonathan Banks have both played James Gordon in the Batman universe: Cranston voiced him in the 2011 animated film Batman: Year One, and Banks played him in the 2015 video game Batman: Arkham Knight.
Bryan Cranston: conversation sceneImage: Wikimedia Commons · Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 - #008
Spoiler: One alternate ending considered for the Breaking Bad finale came from a joke Cranston made to the producers, that the whole show could turn out to be a nightmare of Hal Wilkerson, his Malcolm in the Middle character. A year later, executive producer Melissa Bernstein told him Vince Gilligan and Sony had taken the idea seriously and liked it, which shows how involved Cranston was in the creative process.
Bryan Cranston: VinceImage: Wikimedia Commons · Thomas Attila Lewis from Pittsfield, MA, USA, CC BY 2.0
Production Story (2)
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Breaking Bad's Newhart-style alternate ending grew out of a joke Cranston made to the producers, that the show could end with it all being Hal Wilkerson's nightmare; a year later, executive producer Melissa Bernstein told him Vince Gilligan and Sony really liked the idea.
Bryan Cranston: VinceImage: Wikimedia Commons · Thomas Attila Lewis from Pittsfield, MA, USA, CC BY 2.0
Behind the Scenes (3)
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Cranston's acting career began by appearing in commercials for brands such as Preparation H, Shield Deodorant and Coffee-Mate. These commercials gave him experience in front of the camera and were an important stepping stone in his transition to professional acting. The practice he gained during this period benefited him even in his later serious roles.
Characters & Cast (1)
Easter Eggs & References (1)
Career & Awards (23)
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His fourth Emmy for Breaking Bad (2008) tied him with Dennis Franz (NYPD Blue (1993)) for the most wins as "Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series." Peter Falk also won four Emmys as Columbo (1971), three as "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" (called "Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series" in 1972) and one as "Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series."
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He called Mark Rylance a major influence. Both actors won Tony Awards in 2014: Cranston for "Best Actor in a Play" for "All the Way" and Rylance for "Best Featured Actor in a Play" for his performance in "Twelfth Night". One of Cranston's competitors for the award was Rylance for his performance in "Richard III".
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When The Hollywood Reporter's Matt Belloni asked which film he'd like to wipe from his filmography, Bryan Cranston picked Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) without missing a beat. The 1987 anthology comedy, packed with pop culture references of its day, was one of his early jobs, and his answer offers a candid look at how he judges his own career.
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Life & Family (16)
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His paternal grandfather, Edward B. Cranston, was of Irish ancestry, partly by way of Canada (Montreal). His paternal grandmother, Alice Rose Bower, was of half Austrian Jewish and half German descent. His maternal grandparents, Otto Frederick William Sell and Augusta Liza Marchert, were both German emigrants, Otto from Rendsburg and Augusta from Danzig.
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Bryan Cranston's family tree is quite a mix. His paternal grandfather, Edward B. Cranston, was of Irish descent, with family who once lived in Montreal, Canada, and his paternal grandmother, Alice Rose Bower, was half Austrian Jewish and half German. His maternal grandparents, Otto Frederick William Sell and Augusta Liza Marchert, emigrated from Germany, Otto from Rendsburg and Augusta from Danzig (now Gdansk).
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An odd footnote to Bryan Cranston's voice work comes from Armitage III: Poly-Matrix (1996): he's credited as "Lee Stone" on the original video animation (OVA) release but under his real name in the film version of the same title, a reminder that actors were sometimes credited under different names back then.
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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