Bryan Cranston is an American actor, who has appeared in films, television series, stage plays and video games.

Cranston started his career with supporting roles on television before his breakout comedic role as Hal in the Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006) for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He gained stardom for his dramatic leading role playing Walter White in the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad (2008–2013) for which he won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2014). He was Emmy-nominated for All the Way (2016) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2018). Cranston acted in the crime drama series Sneaky Pete (2015–2019), and the drama series Your Honor (2020–2023).

He took supporting roles in the musical comedy That Thing You Do! (1996), the war drama Saving Private Ryan (1998), the road comedy Little Miss Sunshine (2006), the action drama Drive (2011), the medical thriller Contagion (2011), the jukebox musical Rock of Ages (2012), the espionage thriller Argo (2012) and the monster film Godzilla (2014). He portrayed Dalton Trumbo in the biographical drama Trumbo (2015) for which he was nominated for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Actor Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He then took leading roles in the crime drama The Infiltrator (2016), the comedy Why Him? (2016), the comedy drama The Upside (2017), the war dramedy Last Flag Flying (2017), and the comedy Jerry & Marge Go Large (2022). He also collaborated with Wes Anderson acting in Isle of Dogs (2018), Asteroid City (2023), and The Phoenician Scheme (2025).

On stage, Cranston acted in productions at the Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Geffen Playhouse. Cranston made his Broadway debut playing United States President Lyndon B. Johnson in the play All the Way (2013) for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He played fictional news anchor Howard Beale in the historical play Network in both the 2017 West End production and the 2019 Broadway production, winning both the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor and his second Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1981 The Call of the Wild: Howl Buck Manuel / Pete Voice; English dub 1982 Treasure Planet Filipe 1987 Amazon Women on the Moon Paramedic #1 Segment: "Roast Your Loved One" Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise Matti Tohn Voice; English dub; credited as Lee Stone 1988 The Big Turnaround Jim 1990 Corporate Affairs Darren 1991 Dead Space Dr. Frank Darden 1994 Erotique Dr. Robert Stern Drunken Master II Additional voices Voice; English dub Clean Slate Club Official Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie Fei Long Voice; English dub; credited as Phil Williams Macross Plus: International Version Isamu Alva Dyson Voice; English dub 1995 Armitage III Eddie Barrows Voice; English dub; credited as Lee Stone 1996 That Thing You Do! Gus Grissom Street Corner Justice Father Brophy 1997 Time Under Fire Braddock Strategic Command Phil Hertzberg Direct-to-video 1998 Saving Private Ryan War Department Colonel 1999 Last Chance Lance Also writer, director and producer 2000 The Big Thing Roberto Montalban Terror Tract Ron Gatley Segment: "Bobo" 2001 Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama Lord Rama Voice; English dub 2004 Seeing Other People Peter Illusion David 2005 Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D Buzz Aldrin Voice; Documentary 2006 Little Miss Sunshine Stan Grossman Intellectual Property CSE Radio Host 2007 Hard Four Lieutenant Bryce Baxter 2010 Love Ranch James Pettis 2011 The Lincoln Lawyer Detective Lankford Drive Shannon Detachment Richard Dearden Leave Eliot Larry Crowne Dean Tainot Batman: Year One James Gordon Voice; Direct-to-video Contagion Rear Admiral Lyle Haggerty 2012 Red Tails Major William Mortamus John Carter Colonel Powell Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted Vitaly Voice Rock of Ages Mayor Mike Whitmore Total Recall Chancellor Vilos Cohaagen Argo CIA Deputy Director Jack O'Donnell 2013 Cold Comes the Night "Topo" Topolewski Writer's Block The Writer Short film 2014 Godzilla Joe Brody 2015 Trumbo Dalton Trumbo 2016 Kung Fu Panda 3 Li Voice Get a Job Roger Davis The Infiltrator US Customs Special Agent Robert Mazur / Bob Musella Also executive producer Wakefield Howard Wakefield In Dubious Battle Sheriff Why Him? Ned Fleming 2017 The Disaster Artist Himself Uncredited cameo Power Rangers Zordon The Upside Phillip Lacasse Last Flag Flying Sal Nealon 2018 Isle of Dogs Chief Voice 2019 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Walter White2020 The One and Only Ivan Mack Ancient Caves The Narrator Voice; Documentary short2022 Sell/Buy/Date Himself Documentary Jerry & Marge Go Large Jerry Selbee 2023Asteroid City The Host 2024 Argylle Ritter Kung Fu Panda 4 Li Voice Moscow Mule Himself Short film 2025 The Phoenician Scheme Reagan Everything's Going to Be Great Buddy Smart 2026 Chili Finger Dave The Sheep Detectives Sebastian Voice Tangles Rob Voice Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 1980 To Race the Wind Quarterback Television film; uncredited 1982 Crisis Counselor Sam Episode: "Bisexual Marriage" CHiPs Billy Joe Episode: "Return to Death's Door" 1983–1985 Loving Douglas Donovan 1985 Cover Up Frank Lawler / Tommy Maynard Episode: "Who's Trying to Kill Miss Globe?" One Life to Live Dean Stella 1986 Airwolf Robert Hollis Episode: "Desperate Monday" North and South: Book II Colonel Austin Episode: "March 1865–April 1865" 1986–1996 Murder, She Wrote Brian East / Jerry Wilber / Parker Foreman 3 episodes 1987 The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman Dr. Shepherd Television film Hill Street Blues PBA Counselor Episode: "A Pound of Flesh" 1987–1991 Matlock Brian Emerson / Dr. Harding Fletcher 2 episodes 1988 Raising Miranda Uncle Russell 9 episodes 1989 Falcon Crest Martin Randall Episode: "Enquiring Minds" Baywatch Tom Logan Episode: "Cruise Ship" I Know My First Name Is Steven Officer Dickenson Miniseries 1990 Hull High Mr. McConnell Episode: "#1.8" Jake and the Fatman Lyle Wicks / Jason Miller Episode: "Exactly Like You" Capital News Congressman Marple Episode: "Blues for Mr. White" 1991 The Flash Philip "Mark" Moses Episode: "Be My Baby" Dead Silence Professor Harris Television film 1992 L.A. Law James Phillips Episode: "All About Sleaze" 1993 The Disappearance of Nora Police Detective Television film Prophet of Evil: The Ervil Lebaron Story Lawyer Moldiver Tech English dub Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Twinman / Snizard Voice; 2 episodes Super Dimension Century Orguss 02 Imperial Officer Voice; English dub 1994 Tekkaman Blade Sergeant Miles O'Rourke Macross Plus Isamu Alva Dyson Viper Garrett Berlin Episode: "Wheels of Fire" Walker, Texas Ranger Hank Mease Episode: "Deadly Vision" Days Like This Benny Pilot Men Who Hate Women & the Women Who Love Them David Television film The Companion Alan 1994–97 Seinfeld Dr. Tim Whatley 5 episodes 1995 Touched by an Angel Dr. Tom Bryant Episode: "The Hero" Brotherly Love Russell Winslow Episode: "Such a Bargain" Land's End Matt McCulla 2 episodes Nowhere Man Sheriff Norman Wade Episode: "The Alpha Spike" Extreme Blue Ned Landry Pilot Kissing Miranda Special Agent Falsey Television film 1996 The Louie Show Curt Sincic 6 episodes The Rockford Files: Punishment and Crime Patrick Dougherty Television film 1996–1997 Eagle Riders Joe Thax Voice; English dub 1996–1998 Diagnosis: Murder Walter Mason / Martin Rutgers 2 episodes 1997 Moloney Unknown role Episode: "Clarity Begins at Home" Babylon 5 Ericsson Episode: "The Long Night" Dogs Unknown role Pilot Goode Behavior Record Executive Episode: "Goode Music" Sabrina the Teenage Witch Witch Lawyer Episode: "Troll Bride" Pearl Isaac Perlow Episode: "My So-Called Real Life" Total Security Jason Nichols Episode: "Wet Side Story" Alright Already Robert Episode: "Again with the Pilot" 1998 Brooklyn South IAB Lieutenant Gordon Denton 2 episodes From the Earth to the Moon Buzz Aldrin V.I.P. Colt Arrow Episode: "Beats Working at a Hot Dog Stand" The X-Files Patrick Crump Episode: "Drive" Chicago Hope Jesus Episode: "Tantric Turkey" Working Larry Prince Episode: "The Consultant" Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Ronald "Cheesy" Meezy Episode: "Honey, I'm the Sorcerer's Apprentice" 1999 3rd Rock from the Sun Neil Diamond Impersonator Episode: "Paranoid Dick" The Pretender Neil Roberts Episode: "PTB" 1999–2001 The King of Queens Tim Sacksky 4 episodes 2000–2001 Clerks: The Animated Series Various roles Voice; 3 episodes 2000–2006 Malcolm in the Middle Hal 151 episodes 2001 Gary & Mike Mr. Newton / Senator Howard Bilson Voice; 4 episodes 'Twas the Night Nick Wrigley Television film The Santa Claus Brothers Santa Claus Voice; television film 2003 National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Family Reunion Woodrow Snider Television film 2003–2006 Lilo & Stitch: The Series Mr. Jameson Voice; 6 episodes 2005–2010 American Dad! Bill Publisherman / Mr. Winthrop Voice; 2 episodes 2006–2020 Family Guy Hal Wilkerson / Dr. Jewish / Himself / Bert Voice; 10 episodes 2006–2013 How I Met Your Mother Hammond Druthers 3 episodes 2007 Fallen Lucifer / The Light Bringer Thank God You're Here British Rock Star / Alien Superhero Episode: "#1.1" 2008 The Hollywood Quad Burton Melrose Pilot 2008–2013 Breaking Bad Walter "Walt" White / Heisenberg 62 episodes; also producer 2010–2011 Glenn Martin, DDS Drake Stone Voice; 2 episodes 2010–2016 Saturday Night Live Himself (host) / Walter White 2 episodes 2011 The Handlers Jack Powers 8 episodes; also writer and executive producer 2011–2018 Robot Chicken Various roles Voice; 5 episodes 2012 Archer Commander Tony Drake Voice; 2 episodes 30 Rock Ron Episode: "Governor Dunston" 2012–2013 The Simpsons Stradivarius Cain / Walter White Voice; 2 episodes The Cleveland Show Dr. Fist / Various roles Voice; 9 episodes 2013 Big History The Narrator Voice; 17 episodes 2015–19 Sneaky Pete Vince Lonigan 10 episodes; also co-creator, writer and executive producer SuperMansion Titanium Rex Voice; 46 episodes; also executive producer 2015–2026 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Himself 14 episodes, including the series finale 2016 All the Way Lyndon B. Johnson Television film; also executive producer 2017 Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Silas Herrick Episode: "Human Is"; also executive producer Curb Your Enthusiasm Dr. Lionel Templeton Episode: "Running with the Bulls" 2018 The Dangerous Book for Boys 6 episodes; Co-creator, writer and executive producer 2019 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Richard Sackler Episode: "Opioids II" 2020 Home Movie: The Princess Bride Count Rugen Episode: "Chapter Ten: To the Pain!" The Stand The President of the United States Uncredited voice; episode: "The End" 2020–2023 Your Honor Judge Michael Desiato 20 episodes; also executive producer 2021 Animal Narrator Voice; episode: "Dogs" 2022 Better Call Saul Walter "Walt" White / Heisenberg Episodes: "Breaking Bad", "Saul Gone" America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions Narrator Voice; episode: "2021 Rams" 2023 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia "Mr. Middle" / Himself Episode: "Celebrity Booze: The Ultimate Cash Grab" 2025 The Studio Griffin Mill 3 episodes 2026 Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair Hal 4 episodes; also executive producer

Theater