The actor Bryan Cranston called the greatest of all time: “He doesn’t take himself so seriously”
In 2013, the year Breaking Bad concluded its ludicrously acclaimed five-season run, Bryan Cranston was on top of the acting world. While playing Walter White, the cancer-stricken chemistry teacher who transforms into a ruthless drug kingpin, critics and audiences ran out of superlatives to apply to the star, whose character and performance became more complex and layered with every passing season.
Having said that, an extremely famous fellow thespian knew exactly which superlatives to shower Cranston with, and in what order. One morning, Cranston received an e-mail telling him that his performance in the show was the greatest acting anyone had ever put to screen. Imagine his surprise when he realised the missive came from Sir Anthony Hopkins, who had just binge-watched the show in its entirety and been utterly blown away by it.
Naturally, Cranston probably felt a little bashful about receiving such effusive praise from one of the greatest actors in history. However, privately, it must have filled him with confidence and been one of the highlights of his career, even when Hopkins complained a few years later about some ne’er-do-well in the Breaking Bad setup leaking the e-mail online.
This story of a certified icon telling Cranston he was the GOAT followed the actor over the next decade, as he began plying his trade on the big and small screens, including further TV gigs in Sneaky Pete and Your Honour. In 2024, though, he was finally asked a question that seemed obvious, but hadn’t been broached until then: who would Cranston write a letter to telling them they were the greatest actor of all time?
Cranston didn’t have to think about his answer for very long, and unfortunately for Hopkins, he didn’t return the favour. Instead, he chose Robert De Niro, explaining, “I admire him. I admire his career, his risk-taking, and that he’ll do the silly comedies. He doesn’t take himself so seriously.”
While some cinephiles might recoil at the idea of anyone saying De Niro is the best because he’s willing to make so many dubious comedies, it actually made perfect sense coming from someone like Cranston. Before becoming one of the most beloved dramatic actors in TV history, Cranston was known as the hyperactive, rubber-limbed Hal in the wacky sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, and he still takes every opportunity he can to star in comedies. The man knows funny, and he likes that De Niro does, too.
Interesting, De Niro’s willingness to make himself look ridiculous isn’t the only thing Cranston loves about him. He believes they are both workaholics and admires that De Niro can admit he is happiest when working, whatever that work may be. “I met him before, and I had a conversation with him – at a hockey game, of all places, in Madison Square Garden,” Cranston revealed. “I found myself next to him, and said, ‘You seem to be working a lot. It’s good to see that you haven’t lost your love for the work.’ He said, ‘It’s also just more comfortable for me than not working.'”
Perhaps Cranston, an actor whose public profile increased tenfold during Breaking Bad, sees a kindred spirit in De Niro. They’re both too famous to take much time off: “I get it, because what is Robert De Niro going to do on a day off walking around New York? He’s going to get noticed every 10 steps.” But, most importantly, they both have an insatiable appetite to work – and they’re perfectly at peace if that results in less-than-acclaimed ‘comedy’ fare like Dirty Grandpa and Argylle.
