The eponymous lead of Breaking Bad (2008-2013), one of the most successful TV shows of all time, Bryan Cranston is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. His transpiring performance as Walter While in AMC`s Breaking Bad won him four Primetime Emmy Awards and he also twice won the Outstanding Drama Series Award as a producer of the show. He was also nominated for his role as Hal on the Fox comedy series Malcolm in the Middle. In 2015, he gave a compelling performance in Jay Roach`s biographical dramaTrumbo and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

Early Life
Cranston was born to Joseph Louis "Joe" Cranston, who was a former amateur boxer and actor, and Audrey Peggy, who was a radio actress, in Hollywood, USA. He has two siblings and he grew up living on a poultry farm in Canoga Park, Los Angeles, USA. Cranston`s father skipped many jobs before he took up acting as a career but unfortunately his acting career never fetched him enough to provide support for his family. Eventually, the actor`s father walked out on the family when he was just 11 years old. It was only 11 years later that Cranston reunited with his father after his brother tracked him down.

The actor completed his studies from the Canoga Park High School and later, in 1976, earned an associate degree in police science from the Los Angeles Valley College.

Personal Life
Cranston married to writer Mickey Middleton in 1977 and the couple separated in 1982. The actor was 33 when he married his second wife Robin Deardon. They both met on the sets of the TV show Airwolf in 1984. Their daughter, Taylor Deardon Cranston, was born in 1993 and has also appeared in one of the episodes of Breaking Bad, which was directed by Cranston.

Theater Career
Cranston first started performing in local and regional theaters, before he became associated with the Granada Theater in California. Years later he appeared in plays such as The God of Hell, The Taming of the Shrew, and Wrestlers. The actor also won a Drama-Logue award for his performance in the play The Steven Weed Show.

TV Career
Cranston began working on TV shows in the `80s: mostly appearing in minor roles. He first appeared in an uncredited role in the TV film To Race the Wind. Throughout the `80s and the `90s, the actor starred in numerous TV shows but none of his roles were substantial barring a few roles. He appeared in three episodes of the TV show Murder, She Wrote and also essayed the character of Russel in the TV series Raising Miranda; he starred in nine episodes. He went on to guest star on TV shows such as Baywatch (1989)The Flash (1991), and Viper (1994). He then appeared as Dr. Tim Whatley on the TV show Seinfeld (1994).

Although in the next six years Cranston appeared on several popular shows such as The X-Files (1998), Chicago Hope (1998), and The King of Queens (1999). It was only in 2000 that the actor was signed for the leading role of Hal in the comedy series Malcolm in the Middle; a role that later went on to become one of the most substantial roles of the actor. Cranston appeared on the show for seven seasons for 151 episodes and even was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award thrice. The show lasted for six years from 2000 to 2006, and during the time he appeared on a few TV films viz. `Twas the Night (2001), The Santa Clause Brothers (2001), and National Lampoon`s Thanksgiving Family Reunion (2003). In 2006, he also starred in the popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother as Hasmond Druthers, Ted Mosby`s (Josh Radnor) former boss.

A couple of years later Cranston was cast as Walter White in Vince Gilligan`s Breaking Bad. The actor portrayed the character of a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with lung cancer, who teams up with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and manufactures & sells methamphetamine in order to ensure the well-being of his family. The role that not only defined Cranston`s career but also went on to become one of the most acclaimed and celebrated roles in the history of TV industry. The actor went on to win three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in Drama series from 2008 to 2010 and won the award again in 2014.

Following the success of Breaking Bad, Cranston went on to guest appear in TV shows such as The Simpsons and The Cleveland Show. In 2015, he was cast in the stop-motion animated comedy television series SuperMansion to voice the titular character, Titanium Rex.

As a Director
Cranston has directed several episodes of the TV shows Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad. In 2012, he also directed two episodes of the TV series Modern Family.

Movie Career
As an Actor
Cranston started appearing in movies in the late `80s and made his screen debut in a minor role in the 1987 movie Amazon Women on the Moon. He followed this up with several other minor roles in movies such as Fletch Lives (1989), Clean Slate (1994), That Thing You Do (1996), and Strategic Command which was released in 1997. The following year he played the role of a War Department Colonel in Steven Speilberg`s Saving Private Ryan - he appears as the colonel who insists that Ryan must be saved.

In 2005, Cranston gave the voice to the character of Buzz Aldrin in the IMAX 3D documentaryMagnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D. The following year he starred in the Academy Award-winning movie Little Miss Sunshine portraying the role Stan Grossman. The following years saw him taking up several supporting roles is successful movies such as The Lincoln Lawyer (2001) wherein he starred as detective Lankford, Drive (2011), wherein he essayed the role of Shannon, and Contagion (2012), wherein he starred in the role of Haggerty.

In 2012, the actor appeared in six films of which two were commercial and critical hits vizMadagascar 3: Europe`s Most Wanted and Academy Award-winning Argo directed by Ben Affleck. In Madagascar 3Cranston voiced the character of Vitaly and in Argo, he played a major role - Jack O`Donnel. However, one of his most substantial and acclaimed roles came with the movie 2015 movie Trumbo a biographical drama on the American screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. Essaying the role of Trumbo, the actor received rave reviews for his performance with many critiques praising him. In the following year, Cranston voiced the character of Li, Po`s (voiced by Jack Black) biological father and the uncle of Dim and Sum, in the animated movie Kung Fu Panda 3 directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni. In 2016, he also starred in the movies Get a Job, The Infiltrator, In Dubious Battle, Wakefield, and Why Him?. His 2017 releases include the movies Power Rangers, The Masterpiece, and Last Flag Flying. His 2020 release includes The One and Only Ivan.

As a Director
Cranston also tried his hand at directing in 2000 and made his directorial debut with the movie Last Chance.