Biography

Bryan Cranston

Jump to

Overview

Born
March 7, 1956 · Hollywood, California, USA
Birth name
Bryan Lee Cranston
Nickname
- Lee Stone
Height
5′ 10½″ (1.79 m)

Biography

Bryan Lee Cranston was born on March 7, 1956 in Hollywood, California, to Audrey Peggy Sell, a radio actress, and Joe Cranston, an actor and former amateur boxer. His maternal grandparents were German, and his father was of Irish, German, and Austrian-Jewish ancestry. He was raised in the Canoga Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and also stayed with his grandparents, living on their poultry farm in Yucaipa. Cranston's father walked out on the family when Cranston was eleven, and they did not see each other again until 11 years later, when Cranston and his brother decide to track down their father.

Cranston is known for his roles as Walter White on the AMC crime drama Breaking Bad (2008), Hal on the Fox situation comedy Malcolm in the Middle (2000), and Dr. Tim Whatley on five episodes of the NBC situation comedy Seinfeld (1989). For his role on "Breaking Bad", he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times (2008-2010, 2014), including three consecutive wins. After becoming one of the producers during the series' fourth and fifth seasons, he also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series twice.

In June 2014, Cranston won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Lyndon B. Johnson in the play "All the Way" on Broadway. He reprised the role of Lyndon Johnson in the television adaptation All the Way (2016), which earned him widespread praise by critics. For the biographical drama Trumbo (2015), he earned widespread acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Cranston also appeared in several acclaimed films, such as Saving Private Ryan (1998), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Drive (2011), Argo (2012) and Godzilla (2014). In 2019, he starred with Kevin Hart in the box office hit The Upside (2017).
- IMDb mini biography by: Pedro Borges

Family

Spouses
Children
Parents
Relatives

Trademark

Powerful deep voice

Trivia

For his role on Breaking Bad (2008), he was named one of the "Eight Actors Who Turn Television into Art", in the cover story of the New York Times magazine (September 11, 2011).
His favorite episode of Malcolm in the Middle (2000) is the first season episode, Rollerskates (2000). He spent six weeks, before filming, learning how to roller-skate.
The last name of the first Blue Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993) was named after him. He did various work as part of the crew (voice-overs, etc.), so the Blue Ranger's full name became Billy Cranston.
Met his wife, Robin Dearden, on the set of Desperate Monday (1986). He was playing the villain of the week, and she was his hostage held at gunpoint.
Always grew a beard and mustache during his hiatuses from Malcolm in the Middle (2000).

Quotes

I've got a whole mantel just waiting for those awards to come, a whole big mantel. There's just so much available space. I've got the light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, all ready to shine on them. I dust it off every day.
The only thing I say a prayer for is for health and safety for my family. Some people even include happiness and a hope for something else. Not me. I think everything else is on your own. That's the way I look at it. If you can just maintain health and safety, you're in good shape. And anything else, you have to create.
My wife, Robin Dearden, is the cook, really. I'm a good helper and I clean like nobody's business. I can load a dishwasher like nobody else.
I don't want to say it's not important to win [an Emmy], because it is. Would it be important to me personally to win? It would be wonderful; I would be delighted. Is it important for an actor's career? I would say Yes.
You know, this business is pure luck. It truly is. There is a tangible amount of luck that is necessary for a successful career, and the only way that luck happens is if you're prepared for it and you stick with it. If you drop out of the scene, your opportunity for luck diminishes greatly. No one's going to say, "Hey you're an insurance salesman. Come and do this movie.".