Bryan Cranston

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 t 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 in "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 from 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).

For his role in 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).

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.

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.

In his younger years, he spent two years traveling around the United States by motorcycle with his brother.