The Best Time Walter White Ever Broke Character On Breaking Bad
After five gripping seasons of tension and drama in the award-winning series "Breaking Bad," it's easy to forget that Walter White's actor Bryan Cranston also has an extensive history with comedy. One of the actor's earliest roles was as a recurring character on "Seinfeld" as Jerry's dentist, Dr. Tim Whatley. And from 2000 to 2006, he played the dimwitted, but loving father of the titular character in "Malcolm in the Middle."
Although "Breaking Bad" isn't without its own moments of levity, Walter is seldom able to take part in them, and that became more true as the series progressed and his actions became increasingly unjustifiable. However, even the most talented actors are prone to flub lines from time to time, especially those with as many as what Cranston had to deal with.
Fortunately, the producers kept these flubs and compiled them into blooper reels, leading to some hilarious clips of the cast getting to have fun during otherwise intense scenes. Here's one of the best times Walter White broke character on "Breaking Bad."
Walter White cracks up while trying to give his iconic "I am the danger" line
One of the most iconic lines in "Breaking Bad" is uttered in Season 4's sixth episode, "Cornered," when Walter's wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn) urges him to go to the police if he is in danger. Becoming an increasingly prideful and selfish person, Walter snaps at his wife, boasting about how important he is to his business, how much he makes, and how others fear him, not the other way around. "I am not in danger, Skyler," he says. "I am the danger. A guy opens his door and gets shot and you think that of me? No. I am the one who knocks."
It's an incredibly intense scene, and one that really opens Skyler's eyes to the immoral and dangerous person her husband has become. But it wasn't recorded in one flawless take.
As shown in a blooper reel for "Breaking Bad," Cranston turns around to start his monologue with his character's signature serious look, before pausing and cracking up, which in turn causes Gunn to laugh as well. It's not clear entirely what they're laughing at, but it's possible that with all the lines he's expected to memorize, Cranston just forgot them that time. It's also refreshing and a bit jarring to see the actor's warm smile, especially when associated with a scene in which his character has given in to the darkest parts of himself.