The two professionals didn't work together in the decade between series, but Gilligan didn't forget Cranston's portrayal as Patrick. Portraying a villain with humanity in The X-Files left a long-lasting impression on Gilligan. Despite those complicated layers, viewers were invested in what happened to him in the end. Though he had good intentions at first, Walt veered away from being the "good guy." He made terrible decisions and put a lot of people at risk. In many ways, Walt's arc mirrored this complicated character development. Cranston made viewers care about Patrick's fate despite his despicable qualities. Before they could come up with a viable solution, Patrick was killed by his condition. During the episode, Patrick and Mulder started to work out their differences. Cranston's X-Files Character Mirrored Walter WhiteĮven though Patrick was not very likable, there was a sense of humanity embedded in the character. While developing Walt for Breaking Bad, Gilligan was reminded of Cranston's performance as Patrick, so it was a simple choice in his mind when it came to casting. He was an extremely awful man, portrayed as a racist and anti-Semite - but, as Gilligan made clear in a past interview with The Television Academy Foundation (via YouTube), he wanted Cranston to play a villain that viewers will feel a sense of sympathy for. Patrick ended up kidnapping FBI agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), who was investigating the phenomenon. Patrick was suffering from a bizarre health condition (caused by a device) that put a debilitating amount of pressure on his brain, forcing him to drive from the area at increasing speeds. The actor appeared as Patrick Crump in "Drive," an episode featured in the show's sixth season that was written by Gilligan. Related: Every Breaking Bad Actor In The X-FilesĬranston wasn't a shoo-in for the role on Breaking Bad, but thankfully, his past performance on The X-Files sure left an impression with Gilligan.
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By the end of the series, Walt came to terms with how fulfilling it was to be in power, despite the inevitable sadness that came as a result of his decisions. The character dug a hole that he could no longer crawl out of by losing sight of his morals. In time, Walt transformed into the drug kingpin, Heisenberg, but as his reputation grew, so did the secrets. Not only was he capable of cooking meth, but he was also exceptionally good at it - with the help of a former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). As a family man, Walt wanted to support his loved ones in case his health took a turn, so he became a meth cook. Cranston played a high school science teacher who went down a dark path after a cancer diagnosis.
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Here's how the sci-fi series paved the way for Cranston on Breaking Bad.īreaking Bad remains as one of the best shows in recent memory. Vince Gilligan developed the show years after he worked as a writer and producer on The X-Files. The actor starred as the complicated anti-hero in AMC's award-winning crime drama from 2008 to 2013. Stream it here.If Bryan Cranston didn't appear in a 1998 episode of The X-Files, he probably wouldn't have portrayed Walter White in Breaking Bad. You can currently stream The One and Only Ivan on Disney+.
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“I am the danger.” This summer, Cranston teamed up with Sam Rockwell, Angelina Jolie, and others for Disney’s The One and Only Ivan. However, Sneaky Pete is one of those series that many may have missed, and it’s a show worth checking out if you’re a Cranston fan or just a fan of con artist series.Ĭranston has built a diverse body of work since he started acting, so it’s nice to look back at some of his earlier or lesser-known projects to see the evolution of Mr. Sneaky Peak’s first season was released on Amazon Prime in 2017, so by then, Cranston was a big name and a multiple Emmy winner. Cranston’s character only appeared in the first season. Sneaky Pete was an underrated series that left too soon. Sneaky Peter was executive produced and co-created by Bryan Cranston.
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Sneaky Pete is a series starring Giovanni Ribisi as a con artist named Marius who, once he is released from prison, steals his cellmate, Pete (Ethan Embry)’s identity to hide from Vince (Bryan Cranston), a man he and his brother owe a lot of money.