“In retrospect, it was a sign”: The Exact Moment Bryan Cranston Knew ‘Breaking Bad’ Had Changed TV Is Straight Out of a Fairy Tale

SUMMARY

• Bryan Cranston initially doubted Breaking Bad's groundbreaking potential and his chances of winning an Emmy.
• Thereafter, the fairytale moment of being the 2008 Primetime Emmy winner reinstated his faith in the show's potential.
• While Vince Gilligan was super excited about Cranston's win, the actor claimed to realize the show’s impact on TV history.

Back in 2008, few could have predicted that the role of a chemistry teacher-turned-drug-lord Walter White would end up becoming revolutionary, in the world of television. To be honest, even Bryan Cranston wasn’t confident about the seismic shift that Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad was set to cause. 

Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad | image: AMC

At least that’s why the actor refrained from writing a speech during the Emmy Awards 2008, as he was sure of his fate. But then, in an almost fairytale-like situation, Bryan Cranston realized how his role and the AMC series had redefined what television could achieve. From that moment onwards, his legacy and the show’s place were forever cemented in history. 

Bryan Cranston’s 2008 Emmy win reinstated his faith in Breaking Bad 

In 2007, when Bryan Cranston initially began filming his role as the meth kingpin Walter White in Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad, he claimed to have no expectations from the project. Simply being interested in the plot, Cranston implied joining the AMC show. Later on, following the completion of the seven episodes in season 1, when Cranston was nominated for an Emmy, he still claimed to have zero hopes of winning. 

Speaking with Esquire, Bryan Cranston revealed that despite being nominated for his titular role in Breaking Bad, he was prepared for disappointment. Considering the show’s modest start compared to the television heavyweights of the time, Cranston assumed that his role as a chemistry teacher/drug lord was in no way going to make a revolution in the industry. So much so, that he didn’t even write a speech, as he was confident his name would remain uncalled for. 

I didn’t write a speech, because, of course, I wasn’t going to win. We’d only had seven episodes! My wife was getting a little nervous as they announced my category, and I said, “Robin, relax. We’re not going to win.”

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in Breaking Bad | image: AMC

But then, despite failing to fathom that Breaking Bad and his role could create cultural ripples when Bryan Cranston heard his name being called for the category for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, the actor noted that the fairy tale moment suddenly became more than a win—it was a sign. As the win not only validated his performance but also marked a pivotal moment for Breaking Bad, Cranston claimed to gain newfound faith. 

And then I hear my name. It was shocking. I didn’t think about the grand scheme of things at the time, but in retrospect, it was a sign. We had struck a nerve with the TV Academy, and it just started to mushroom after that.

For Bryan Cranston, his 2008 Emmy win became proof that Vince Gilligan’s show had the potential to become revolutionary, even though he didn’t realize it fully at the time. Further, the Emmy win helped propel Breaking Bad to its astronomical success and bring attention to the storyline and the actors’ performance. The auspicious moment thus became a turning point for the show. 

Vince Gilligan recalled his reaction to Bryan Cranston’s Emmy win 

Meanwhile, following Bryan Cranston’s reinstated faith in Breaking Bad’s potential, Vince Gilligan told the outlet how the actor’s 2008 Emmy win served as a moment of pride and validation for him. Sitting in the audience as the showrunner anxiously watched the nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series being announced, Gilligan noted failing to contain his excitement once Cranston’s name echoed. 

I’ll never forget that moment they read out Bryan’s name. I launched out of my seat like some drunken sports fan and screamed “F*CK YEAH!” so loud I actually hurt my vocal cords, and I was slamming my hands together. It wasn’t even clapping, just beating them together.

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan | image: Gage Skidmore, licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Comparing his applause to pounding his hands rather than clapping, Vince Gilligan recalled his sheer joy of seeing Bryan Cranston receive the recognition he deserved. Further, praising the actor for his performance and the way he brought his character to life, Gilligan claimed to have believed in Cranston since the day he cast him in the role of Walter White. 

I’d never clapped so hard in my life, it was almost scary. Bryan is the whole package; he’s such a fine actor that even if he were the world’s biggest asshole, he’d be worth working with. But he’s also the greatest guy, and so beloved by his peers. So in hindsight, I think, of course, he won! But at the time, it was a shock. 

Corroborating with what Bryan Cranston said about failing to realize how the 2008 Emmy win marked their stepping stone to success with Breaking Bad, even Vince Gilligan called it more like an emotional shock. So it seems that in hindsight, although both Gilligan and Cranston saw the victory as inevitable—at the time it happened, the duo had actually failed to see through it. 

Breaking Bad is currently available to watch on Netflix. 

Written by Krittika Mukherjee

Articles Published: 2329

Krittika is a News Writer at FandomWire with 2 years of prior experience in lifestyle and web content writing. With her previous works available on HubPages and Medium, she has woven over 2000 stories with us, about fan-favorite actors, movies, and shows. Post-graduate in Journalism and Honors-graduate in English Literature, when this art enthusiast isn't crafting your next favorite article, she finds her escapism in coffee, fiction, and the Wizarding World.