The 10 best things Bryan Cranston has done since Breaking Bad

Bryan Cranston will forever be remembered for his career-defining role as Walter White in Breaking Badalthough he continued to deliver fantastic performances in film and television in the following years. Although Cranston was already a well-known sitcom actor before Breaking Badlike his acclaimed guest role in Seinfeld and an important part Malcolm in the middleit was his time as Heisenberg that solidified his now-legendary status. As one of the most attractive actors working today, it’s no surprise that Cranston has continued to stand out in his post-Breaking Bad career.

Walter White was among the most complex characters in history. Breaking Bad universe, and Cranston brought the same level of depth and intensity to many of his subsequent performances. Whether it was the start of a franchise in big-budget monster movies or even returning to play his most famous role in Breaking Bad spin-offs, Cranston kept viewers engaged with a surprising career. With equal talents for comedy and drama, Cranston’s subsequent performances were vast and varied.

10

Godzilla (2014)

Bryan Cranston as Joe Brody

Godzilla is a 2014 American reboot of the popular kaiju property and the first film in Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise. The film centers on Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who travels to Japan after his father Joe (Bryan Cranston) is detained for trying to uncover the truth about his wife’s death 15 years earlier. Together, they fight to survive as Joe’s conspiracy theory becomes reality and giant monsters begin attacking the world.

Director: Gareth Edwards
Release date: May 16, 2014
Studio(s): Legendary images
Distributor(s): Pictures, Toho
Writers: Max Borenstein, David Callaham
Execution time: 123 minutes
Budget: US$160 million

Godzilla was Bryan Cranston’s first film role following the completion of Breaking Bad and acted as his long-awaited foray into mainstream films. Although Cranston has been in many films before, the blockbuster nature of Godzilla signaled that he could move into an entirely new era in his career. Like nuclear engineer Joe Brody, Cranston brought depth and humanity to this giant monster story and said (via RTÉ) that filming began immediately after filming ended in Breaking Badso he had to wear a wig.

While Godzilla It was an exciting start to the post-Breaking Bad career, Brody was also killed at the beginning of the film, meaning he didn’t appear in the rest of the Monsterverse films, such as Godzilla vs. Kong. As a strong start to a new franchise, Godzilla perfectly combined human drama with monster carnage and was miles ahead of the 1998 American Godzilla remake with Matthew Broderick. The biggest complaint about Cranston and Godzilla it was that he just wasn’t involved enough.

9

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005 – present)

Bryan Cranston as Himself (Season 16, Episode 5: “Celebrity Booze: The Ultimate Cash Grab”)

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a sitcom and black comedy created by Rob McElhenney. It stars Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton and Danny DeVito. The series follows a group of friends who own and frequent Irish bar Paddy’s Pub and get involved in all sorts of disturbing adventures.

Release date: August 4, 2005
Seasons: 16
Streaming Services: Hulu
Writers: Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, David Hornsby
Directors: Matt Shakman, Fred Savage, Daniel Attias, Randall Einhorn, Richie Keen, Todd Biermann
Presenter: Rob McElhenney

Bryan Cranston knows a good comedy well, as proven by his pre-Breaking Bad roles in Seinfeld and Malcolm in the middle. Considering this, it was only fitting that he made an appearance on the chaotic sitcom dubbed “Seinfeld on crack”, It’s always sunny in Philadelphia. Not only did Cranston appear on the show’s 16th season, but he also played alongside his Breaking Bad co-star Aaron Paul when the duo came to Philadelphia to promote their own brand of alcoholic beverages, influenced by their real business venture, Dos Hombres Mezcal.

However, the gang seemed oblivious to Cranston’s role in the Breaking Bad and were instead more impressed with his time as Hal in Malcolm in the middle, since they referred to him as ‘Mr. Quite.’ Charlie, Mac, Dennis and Dee also mistook Aaron Paul for Frankie Muniz and repeatedly called him ‘Malcolm’ throughout the episode. As a highly meta episode that leaned heavily on Cranston and Paul’s real-life dealingsThis hilarious appearance was a clever satire on the popularity of famous alcohol brands, which proved that Cranston didn’t mind poking fun at himself.

8

Isle of Dogs (2018)

Bryan Cranston as Boss

Island of Dogs is a stop-motion animated film set in a dystopian future Japan, in which dogs have been quarantined on a remote island due to a new virus called “dog flu.” The film follows five local dogs – Chief, Rex, Boss, Duke and King. They are fed up with their isolated existence until a boy named Atari Kobayashi ventures to the island in search of his dog, Spots. Atari receives their help and they will protect him from the Japanese authorities who have come to rescue him.

Release date: March 23, 2018
Studio(s): spotlight images
Distributor(s): spotlight images
Cast: Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Kara Hayward, Liev Schreiber, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Yoko Ono, Bryan Cranston, Courtney B. Vance, Edward Norton, F. Murray Abraham, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel
Execution time: 102 minutes
Budget: US$35 million

With a career filled with fascinating collaborations, from working with Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan and Vince Gilligan in Breaking BadOne of Bryan Cranston’s most exciting artistic relationships was with filmmaker Wes Anderson. Cranston teams up with Wes for the incredible stop-motion animated film Isle of Dogsan idiosyncratic story about Trash Island, a place where all dogs have been banished after an outbreak of dog flu. While Cranston and Anderson don’t immediately come to mind as an obvious pairing, once they got together, it was clearly a perfect match.

Cranston played the stray dog Chief in Isle of Dogswho helped others on the island search for the missing dog Spots. In typical Anderson fashion, Isle of Dogs was a highly stylized release that focused on the beauty of intricate details and boasted many thoughtful, philosophical wonders. Cranston and Anderson clearly knew they found something good together when Cranston reunited with him to play The Host in 2023 Asteroid City.

7

Curb Your Enthusiasm (1999 – 2024)

Bryan Cranston as Dr. Lionel Templeton (Season 9, Episode 4: “Running with the Bulls”)

Curb Your Enthusiasm is a comedy television show created by Larry David, the same creative mind behind the popular sitcom Seinfeld. Starring Larry David himself, along with Cheryl Hines and Jeff Garlin, the show functions as a semi-fictional look at Larry’s everyday life and the people he would come into contact with.

Release date: October 15, 2000
Seasons: 12
Network: HBO Max
Streaming Services: Max.
Presenter: Jeff Schaffer

One of Bryan Cranston’s most famous early roles was as Dr. Tim Whatley in five episodes of Seinfeld during the 1990s. Considering this, it made sense for Cranston to once again reunite with Seinfeld co-creator Larry David’s Control your enthusiasma hilarious deconstruction of everyday frustrations that featured David playing an unapologetically blunt, fictionalized version of himself. With a history of celebrity guests playing a variety of characters who come face to face with Larry’s abrasive nature, Cranston had the memorable role of Larry’s therapistDr. Lionel Templeton, during the ninth season.

David and Cranston made an incredible comedic duo in this memorable episode, as Larry couldn’t overcome the power imbalance he felt was occurring in his therapy sessions. Larry hilariously latched onto the fact that Dr. Templeton’s chair was much better than his own, as rather than deal with his litany of psychological problems, he preferred to confront his doctor.”getting the good chair.” This hilarious everyday observation perfectly summed up Control your enthusiasm talent for shining a comical and strangely relatable light on the absurdities of social interactions.

6

Trumbo (2015)

Bryan Cranston as Dalton Trumbo

Trumbo is a biographical drama directed by Jay Roach and starring Bryan Cranston as Dalton Trumbo, a successful screenwriter who faces the Hollywood blacklist during the Red Scare. The film examines Trumbo’s struggle against the anti-communist sentiment of the time and his efforts to continue working under pseudonyms. Helen Mirren, Diane Lane and John Goodman co-star in this exploration of artistic perseverance and political paranoia.

Director: Jay Roach
Release date: November 6, 2015
Writers: John McNamara

Coming out of the shadow of his role as Walter White in Breaking Bad it would never be easy. However, Bryan Cranston achieved this by not allowing himself to be typecast and portraying characters that couldn’t be further from the high school chemistry teacher turned meth cook he was known for. A great example of this was Cranston’s Oscar-nominated role as Dalton Trumbo in the riveting Hollywood biopic. Trumbo.

Trumbo was one of the most prominent screenwriters of the 1930s and 1940s, although his career ran into trouble when he was blacklisted due to accusations of being a Communist amid McCarthyism in the 1950s. Cranston powerfully portrayed the way Trumbo deftly circumvented the blacklist by writing under assumed names and his difficulties after being subpoenaed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. As a moving story of political instability in Hollywood, Cranston lost himself in the role of Trumbo and demonstrated his range to audiences who only knew him as Walter White.

5

Last flag raised (2017)

Bryan Cranston as Sal Nealon

Last Flag Fly is a 2017 film directed by Richard Linklater. The film stars Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne as Vietnam War veterans who come together to bury one of their sons, killed in the Iraq War. Explores themes of friendship, loss and the impact of war on veterans and their families. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Darryl Ponicsan.

Release date: November 3, 2017
Cast: Yul Vazquez, Laurence Fishburne, Deanna Reed-Foster, Jeff Monahan, Steve Carell, J. Quinton Johnson, Graham Wolfe, Bryan Cranston

With three Oscar nominees at the helm, Last flag raised signaled Bryan Cranston’s status by starring alongside Steve Carell and Laurence Fishburne. That touching story about the reunion of three Vietnam War veterans After One of His Sons Was Killed in the Iraq War had a poignant resonance, with much to say about the complex nature of veterans’ perceptions of the war. With heart, humor and lots of emotional depth, Last flag raised saw Cranston at his best as a rebellious and somewhat jaded veteran who stood by his friend in times of need.

Based on a novel by Darryl Ponicsan, which was written as a sequel to The last detailwhich was adapted in 1973 with Jack Nicholson, this unofficial sequel carved out its own identity by touching on themes of friendship, sadness and honor. Although there were mixed messages about what Last flag raised wanted to say about the conflict and those who serve in war, yet it had a strong emotional impact. Above all, Last flag raised was successful due to his performances, and it was a pleasure to see Cranston acting alongside big names like Carell and Fishburne.

4

Sneaky Pete (2015 – 2019)

Bryan Cranston as Vince Lonigan

Sneaky Pete was created by Bryan Cranston and David Shore and stars Giovanni Ribisi, Shane McRae, Marin Ireland and Libe Barer. The Drama and Crime series ran for three seasons between 2015 and 2019 and revolved around a convicted conman who is now hunted by a gangster now that he is out of prison.

Release date: August 7, 2015
Seasons: 3
Network: Amazon Prime Video
Directors: David Costa

It wasn’t just in front of the camera that Bryan Cranston stood out in his post-Breaking Bad career, as he has also carved out his own opportunities as a writer, director, actor, and co-creator of the black comedy crime series Sneaky Pete. This highly underrated Amazon Prime series was developed by Cranston along with Home creator David Shore. Like the story of an ex-con adopting his cellmate’s life, Sneaky Pete was a clever story of false identity and deception, starring Giovanni Ribisi.

While Sneaky Pete ran for three seasons, Cranston only acted in the first as Vince Lonigana former police officer turned criminal who ran a gambling den in New York. Although Vince was a very different character from Walter White, he also conjured the same sinister energy that did Breaking Bad such a lasting success. Sneaky Pete was a series full of twists and turns characterized by strong writing, great acting and an engaging premise that deserves to reach a wider audience.

3

Until the end (2016)

Bryan Cranston as President Lyndon B. Johnson

After completion of Breaking BadBryan Cranston embraced his theatrical side to play President Lyndon B. Johnson in the Broadway play All the way in 2014. This transformative performance won Cranston a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Playand he has been cast to return as LBJ in HBO’s film adaptation. Delivering a phenomenal performance, Cranston embodied the former president’s complicated life during a pivotal period in American history.

All the way explored Johnson’s rise to the presidency following John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 and how his pioneering Great Society plans to eliminate poverty and racial injustice were impeded by the Vietnam War. Cranston looked almost unrecognizable as he took on the characteristics and behaviors of the complex political figure as he spent his first year in office trying to pass the Civil Rights Act. As an intense representation of how strong political ideals are often not enough to impact the level of change needed, All the way it has remained a relevant document of American political culture.

2

Better Call Saul (2015 – 2022)

Bryan Cranston as Walter White

Set in times before, during and after Breaking Bad, the AMC crime drama spin-off follows the trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Saul Goodman (Odenkirk) as he tries to make a name for himself at his firm located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The show delves deeper into the events that created Saul and the repercussions of his actions.

Release date: February 8, 2015
Seasons: 6
Franchise(s): Breaking Bad
Writers: Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan
Directors: Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, Keith Gordon
Presenter: Peter Gould

The conclusion of Breaking Bad was one of the greatest finales in television history, although audiences still clamored for more from Walter White. Although the original series completely wrapped up his character’s story, Walter returned in a flashback in El Caminothe Breaking Bad film that served as a coda to the story of Jesse Pinkman. However, the public still had hope for more, as throughout Better call Saul After six seasons, one of the most pressing questions was whether audiences would see the last of Heisenberg return.

This finally came true in Better call Saul last season’s episode aptly titled “Breaking Bad,” where audiences saw Saul’s kidnapping from the previous show from their own perspective. Cranston again reprized his role at the end of Better call Saul as the audience caught a glimpse of Walter and Saul as they waited to be given new identities, and Saul asked him what he would do if he could travel through time. This last appearance of Walter White said goodbye to his character and was the perfect epilogue to Cranston’s career-defining performance.

1

Your Honor (2020 – 2023)

Bryan Cranston as Michael Desiato

Your Honor is a legal drama series starring Bryan Cranston as a respected judge whose son is involved in a hit-and-run accident. The incident sets off a dangerous chain of events that forces the judge to confront his own principles and navigate the moral complexities of the law. The series explores themes of justice, loyalty and ethics, offering a compelling narrative of a father’s desperate attempts to protect his son.

Release date: December 6, 2020
Seasons: 2
Creator(s): Peter Moffat

Bryan Cranston proved he was still an important figure in the world of prestige television with his starring role in the legal drama Your Honor. How the New Orleans Judge Michael DesiatoCranston, just as he did in Breaking Badperfectly captured the challenges of a man who wants to do right by his family, but in the process, must break their moral and ethical rule book. While Walter White made the conscious decision to embrace a life of crime, Judge Desiato in Your Honor was forced into it while trying to cover up his son’s accidental hit-and-run.

This fascinating premise was based on the Israeli TV series Kvodo, as Your Honor adapted this story for an American audience. With an accident that caused lies to be built upon lies, Your Honor saw Cranston’s character and his son, played by Hunter Doohan, fall in over their heads with the head of an organized crime family in New Orleans. Your Honor brought to the surface urgent questions about what makes good people do bad things and a firm demonstration of Bryan Cranston ongoing talents after completion of Breaking Bad.

Source: RTÉ

10 Godzilla (2014)

Bryan Cranston as Joe Brody

9 It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005 – present)