Breaking Bad

Bryan Cranston as Walter White

If you don't see Bryan Cranston from one of his many diverse roles, other than the happy and hairy "Hal" on FOX's comedy, Malcolm in the Middle, it is probably because you didn't recognize him! Bryan is one of those actors who are capable of wearing many different looks to suit a character.

Such is the case again as he tackles another character in the new original series Breaking Bad for AMC. Walt White is a role of a lifetime for Cranston. The lead character in this drama series goes from a mild mannered high school chemistry teacher to a drug lord in the unfamiliar world of crime -- a world of difference from his "Malcolm" role.

Cranston's performance on Malcolm in the Middle earned him three Emmy nominations, as well as, a Golden Globe nomination. The award-winning show completed 151 episodes during its seven season run.

Cranston recently completed the ABC Family miniseries Fallen, and last season was in the recurring role of Ted's boss on the CBS show How I Met Your Mother. Cranston made viewer's laugh on Seinfeld, as the recurring character of Dentist Tim Whatley. He also was the annoying neighbor Tim Sacksky on The King of Queens. He appeared in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan, as a hardened one-armed Army Colonel, and in Tom Hanks' Emmy Award winning HBO series, From the Earth to the Moon, in which he was honored to portray Buzz Aldrin.

Cranston also starred in the mini-series, I Know My First Name Is Steven, and North and South Book II, among others. He has starred in the series The Louie Show and Raising Miranda, and had a recurring role on Brooklyn South. He has guest starred on numerous programs such as Chicago Hope, The X-Files, The Rockford Files, 3rd Rock From the Sun, and many more.

His feature film credits include Little Miss Sunshine, Seeing Other People, That Thing You Do, Clean Slate, Kissing Miranda, Dead Space, Private Offerings, and Terror Tract, just to name a few.

Born to a show business family and raised in Southern California, Cranston made his acting debut at the age of eight when he appeared in a United Way commercial. But it wasn't until he finished college that acting became a serious consideration. His earlier interests were law enforcement and sports, especially baseball. "I wanted to be a professional baseball player until I realized that I brought a new meaning to the word ‘mediocre'," Cranston quips.

He earned a degree in Police Science, but then did some soul-searching while on a two-year cross-country motorcycle trip with his brother Kyle. Staying in Daytona Beach, Florida, for the winter, they discovered community theater, and began exploring every aspect of the stage. Soon they were cast in a summer stock company. "At that point, I realized I needed to pursue what I loved, not just what I was good at, so becoming a detective was out and acting was in," Cranston conceded.

Cranston returned to Los Angeles and quickly landed a role on the television movie Love Without End, which led to his being signed as an original cast member of the popular ABC series, Loving.

He continues to pursue his love for theater as often as time permits. Cranston's theatrical credits include starring roles in Sam Shepard's The God of Hell at the Geffen Playhouse, Chapter Two at the Shadow Lawn Stage in Long Branch, New Jersey, The Taming of the Shrew and A Doll's House for the Santa Cruz Shakespeare Company, as well as Los Angeles productions of Eastern Standard, Wrestlers, Barefoot in the Park, and The Steven Weed Show, for which he won a Drama-Logue Award.

In addition to his acting capabilities, Cranston is also a dedicated screenwriter and director. He wrote the original romantic drama Last Chance as a birthday gift for his wife. Last Chance was honored at many prestigious film festivals including winning Best Film Awards at Breckenridge, Colorado and Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as, Audience Favorites in Palm Springs, California, Sarasota, Florida, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida among others. Last Chance is available at Amazon.com. Cranston also directed nine episodes of Malcolm in the Middle, the Comedy Central pilot "Special Unit," and the ABC comedy Big Day.

Additionally, Cranston has produced an instructional DVD called "KidSmartz", which is designed to educate families on how to stay safe from child abduction and internet predators. "KidSmartz" empowers families with knowledge on the subject, instead of frightening them into inactivity. Also, "KidSmartz" raises money for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, by donating half the proceeds from sales.

Cranston is married to actress Robin Dearden and resides with their daughter, Taylor, in the San Fernando Valley.

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