Before ’Breaking Bad,’ Bryan Cranston Auditioned to Be a Spoof President in ‘scary Movie’
Before he became television’s most iconic chemistry teacher-turned-drug kingpin, Bryan Cranston was seriously considered for a comedic role that would have seen him behind the Resolute Desk. Five years before Breaking Bad launched him to superstardom – and earned him three consecutive Emmy Awards – Cranston auditioned for the role of President Baxter Harris in Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4.
The character, described as a George W. Bush parody, ultimately went to another actor, but director David Zucker remembers Cranston making a strong impression. “He was really good,” Zucker told Gold derby, recalling auditions from the early 2000s when Cranston was largely known for his role as the affable dad on malcolm in the Middle.
Cranston wasn’t the only star vying for the satirical presidential role. lee Majors, best known as The Six Million Dollar Man, was also a top contender, having recently embraced comedic roles in films like Out Cold and the TV series Son of the Beach.
While Cranston’s path led him to dramatic acclaim, it’s a fascinating glimpse into a “what if?” scenario that could have seen the future Walter White taking a very different route to the
