Breaking Bad is considered by some to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time, as it's known for its incredible storytelling and a legendary performance by Bryan Cranston among other things. The show is mostly a gritty drama that's firmly set within the world of drug dealers. However, it turns out things weren’t always serious behind the scenes. The cast behind the acclaimed AMC show recently opened up about off-camera shenanigans, specifically one particular day on which Cranston was "fucking around" and brought a penis shaped water gun to set.
In a recent profile of the Walter White actor from GQ, his Breaking Bad co-stars talked about what it was like working with him. This includes details on his personal acting process. While some actors like to remain “in the zone” while on set, the Emmy winner was no such actor. The Saving Private Ryan alum apparently loved goofing around as Saul Goodman actor Bob Odenkirk revealed:
You definitely feel like this guy’s not gonna be fucking around once they say ‘action.’ He will be fucking around as soon as they say ‘cut.’
It's great to hear that the leading man wanted to have fun when the cameras weren’t rolling. Walter White was such an intense character and, as a result, a lot was asked of the actor throughout the show's run. He has a lot of highly emotional scenes and is extremely intimidating throughout. While his character had to act a certain way, the Trumbo star clearly didn't and let his silly side reign. Fellow BB star Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, corroborated Bob Odenkirk’s thoughts about the actor. He did so by backing them up with the aforementioned moment involving a penis water gun:
I don’t know. There are a lot of times where we were rolling and he was kind of fucking [around]. On Breaking Bad, out of nowhere, he was meant to present me with a gun, but then he pulled out a water gun shaped like a penis and started squirting me with it.
Poor Aaron Paul. The Jesse character had a lot to carry as well, with his complicated background and his entanglement in a criminal underworld. Paul was probably performing his heart out and then his co-star decided to mess with him using a water gun and a penis-shaped one no less. To be honest, the thought is absolutely hysterical and is likely part of the reason the former co-stars share a familial connection today. They even own a mezcal brand together called Dos Hombres, further proving they were able to bond off screen.
It's not at all surprising that the jovial-seeming Bryan Cranston tried to infuse fun into Breaking Bad whenever he could and that some of the cast was game. A lot of actors, including Cranston himself, had comedy backgrounds, which probably helped keep the atmosphere on set light when the cameras weren't rolling. The Your Honor actor, in particular, was starred on the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle (and he wants more of it) before he cemented his leading man status. And years before nabbing the role of Saul, Bob Odenkirk was known for his comedic work before his turn, as he was a head writer on SNL. I'd wager that they all had a fun time on set, and I'm now also wondering if there's any way to top the craziness of bringing a penis-esque squirt gun to a job.
Bryan Cranston can be seen flexing his comedy chops once again in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, which hits theaters worldwide on June 23rd. Fans can also revisit his award-winning performance in Breaking Bad by streaming all five seasons with a Netflix subscription. And of course, if you're looking for current shows to watch, take a look at CinemaBlend's 2023 TV schedule.
