The original article incorrectly attributed the quote "I mean, it’s called acting. It’s almost the whole point, that you are doing something that you are not, right?" to actor Bryan Cranston, though the statement was made by Bill Maher. CBR regrets this error and has made corrections of the story. The updated article can be found below.
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston recently opened up about playing the role of a quadriplegic in the 2017 film The Upside and the backlash that followed.
Based on a true story, Cranston played a paralyzed billionaire in the film who decides to hire a convict (Kevin Hart) as his caretaker. According to Variety, the actor also said he was surprised by the backlash he received but agreed that disabled actors don’t always get an equal opportunity in the industry. "It’s a kind of a catch-22 that… it’s like, 'Do you have the cache to be able to carry a film?'"
Bryan Cranston Is Doubling Down on His Disabled Role
Despite the negative response to his role, Cranston revealed that he's working on a sequel to the film with co-star Hart. "We’re doing a sequel to it," he confirmed without revealing any more information about the project.
Cranston also mentioned several names of able-bodied actors who were praised for playing disabled characters, such as Al Pacino's blind army officer in Scent of a Woman and Daniel Day-Lewis' character suffering from cerebral palsy in My Left Foot. According to Cranston, if these legendary actors were not given the chance to take on these parts, "we would have missed some great performances."
Directed by Neil Burger and written by Jon Hartmere, The Upside is a remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables. The original film was based on the lives of Abdel Sallou and Philippe Pozzo di Borgo. The English-language remake performed exceptionally well at the box office and grossed $125 million against a budget of $37 million. It's actually the third remake of the French film after the Indian film Oopiri (2016), and the Argentinian film Inseparables (2016). While the film was praised for Cranston and Hart’s performances and chemistry, critics found the plot to be too predictable.
The Upside isn't the only project from Cranston's past that he's excited to work on again. In a recent interview, the Malcolm in the Middle star was enthusiastic about starring in a revival of the classic 2000s sitcom. "We had such a great family on that, and I certainly would be open to that," Cranston said in reference to the reunion film based on the show. The actor thinks it would a great idea to explore the characters from the show 20 years later. "I can't believe it's already that, but that would be fun to do," he said.
Source: Variety