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Gilligan: Cranston's 'X-Files' Role Proved Chameleon Talent
24 Feb
Summary
- Gilligan directed Bryan Cranston in 'The X-Files' Season 6 episode 'Drive'.
- Cranston's character was a racist conspiracy theorist who needed sympathy.
- The role showed Gilligan Cranston's ability to be a believable chameleon.
Vince Gilligan's early career included a pivotal discovery on "The X-Files," where he first witnessed Bryan Cranston's remarkable acting range. In the Season 6 episode penned by Gilligan, titled "Drive," Cranston portrayed Patrick Crump, a man whose head would explode if his car didn't maintain speed.
Gilligan sought to create a deeply unpleasant yet pitiable character, a challenge he doubted could be met until Cranston auditioned. Cranston's performance astounded Gilligan, who noted the actor's complete commitment to the character's "nastiness" while simultaneously making him sympathetic.
This experience on "The X-Files" solidified Gilligan's view of Cranston as a true "chameleon." This insight would later prove crucial when Gilligan cast Cranston in the lead role for "Breaking Bad," a decade or more after their collaboration on the sci-fi series.
