Bryan Cranston's Jaw-Dropping Transformation Into Lucifer: His Co-Star Could Never Have Imagined!

Summary

Bryan Cranston was cast as the Devil in the 2006 ABC Family miniseries Fallen.

Initially, Paul Wesley doubted his casting because of Bryan Cranston's reputation as a comedic actor from Malcolm in the Middle. However, Cranston's later success in Breaking Bad paved the way for him to explore a broader range of roles and expanded his career opportunities.

In the ABC Family miniseries Fallen, Bryan Cranston, who would later become famous for his role in Breaking Bad, portrayed the character of Lucifer. However, his co-star had doubts about Cranston's abilities before filming commenced. The miniseries, which was adapted from Thomas Sniegoski's The Fallen novels, aired in three parts between 2006 and 2007. Paul Wesley, who played the protagonist Aaron Corbett, a teenager who discovers his role as the Redeemer, capable of sending fallen angels back to Heaven.

Recently, Wesley appeared on the Inside of You podcast with host Michael Rosenbaum, discussing his career progression from the early days to his recent portrayal of a young Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. During their conversation, Wesley delved into the moment he learned that Bryan Cranston had been cast as the Devil in Fallen. Wesley admits that he initially struggled to envision how Cranston would fit the role, as he had already formed a judgement of him based on his previous character from the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Refer to Wesley's complete quote below.

Bryan Cranston, a close friend of mine, surprised me when he was cast in the ABC Family show called Fallen. This miniseries revolved around a young boy who discovers he is a fallen angel and the son of the Devil. In episode 5, there was a significant stunt casting moment where they would unveil the actor playing the Devil.

The producers teased a remarkable choice, and I eagerly anticipated the announcement. To my astonishment, they revealed Bryan Cranston, known for his role as the dad in Malcolm in the Middle. I couldn't comprehend how he would portray Lucifer since his previous work was mostly comedic.

Breaking Bad Showed the World What Bryan Cranston Could Do

According to Wesley, Bryan Cranston initially gained recognition for his portrayal of the comedic father Hal Wilkerson in the popular sitcom Malcolm in the Middle starring Frankie Muniz. This successful comedy series aired for 151 episodes from 2001 to 2006 and solidified Cranston's reputation as a talented comedic actor. However, it was in 2008 that Cranston had the opportunity to showcase the more complex and dark side of his acting abilities to a broader audience. He accepted the role of Walter White, an intricate antihero, in the critically acclaimed crime drama Breaking Bad, which ran for five seasons on AMC.

Breaking Bad not only freed Cranston from being typecasted, but it also highlighted his exceptional acting ability. Despite receiving three Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination for his role in Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad brought him six Emmy nominations, four wins, and four Golden Globe nominations, with one win. Cranston received further accolades for his performances in other projects, such as his Academy Award nomination for his role in Trumbo in 2015.

Since Breaking Bad, Cranston has enjoyed a much broader range of roles. Although he returned to comedy in films like Why Him? in 2016, he has significantly expanded his potential genres. However, none of this would have been possible without his memorable performance in Fallen, which paved the way for his diversified career.

Source: Inside of You