The 32 Most Memorable Bryan Cranston Roles

With a career spanning over four decades and more than a few iconic characters, Bryan Cranston has become a household name thanks to his incredible acting talent — not to mention a certain drug-fueled crime drama. The Oscar nominee and Emmy Award winner brings a lot to the table when it comes to his roles, rarely missing the mark on a performance.

With his recently announced cameo in the sixth season of the "Breaking Bad" prequel series "Better Call Saul," we figured it was a good time to take a look back at some of Cranston's most memorable roles over his long career. In no particular order, we'll be including everything from his earliest sitcom appearances to some of his lesser-known and unexpected projects. And even though this is a collection of Cranston performances that are impossible to forget, there might just wind up being one or two that surprise you.

Being the leader of a superhero team is hard enough as it is, but when you're about 100 years old and feeling every bit of it, it gets even tougher. One of the only animated features on our list, and from the creators of the Adult Swim favorite "Robot Chicken," this stop-motion comedy series would stay on the air for three seasons, putting Cranston front and center with a lead role. The head of the so-called League of Freedom, a collection of superheroes with at times dubious morals and even worse mouths, Titanium Rex frequently struggles to keep the gang together.

First emerging from a society deep within the Earth's core on a mission to conquer the surface, Rex ultimately abandoned his mission and used his superhuman powers for good. When he's not fighting crime and the effects of aging, Rex finds himself sleeping with anyone and everyone, creating more than a few enemies in the process.

While the four leads were the unshakeable foundation of what made "Seinfeld" so great, the show's wide array of supporting characters were equally important in for making it the decade-dominating comedy sensation that it was. Despite only appearing in a handful of episodes, Cranston gave a hilarious performance as Tim Whatley, Jerry's full-time dentist and Elaine's part-time boyfriend.

The heart of "Seinfeld's" comedy is its exploration of various social faux pas, and Whatley's escapades are no exception. A fairly egotistical guy who never squanders an opportunity to demean others, Whatley throws backhanded remarks at Jerry on the regular — or at least, that's how Jerry sees the situation. And while the long list of grievances starts small enough, things escalate when Whatley puts Jerry through a grueling dental procedure during one of his visits. The truth of what may or may not have happened when Jerry was passed out while getting a tooth filling is better left unsaid.

Cranston has played some pretty evil characters over his long career, but his role in the 2007 miniseries "Fallen" might just take the cake, considering he plays Lucifer himself. Based on a series of young adult novels of the same name, "Fallen" tells the story of Aaron Corbett, a young man who begins to develop unexplainable powers. He soon discovers he's the child of a human and angel and must defend himself against angels sent to purge him.

After quickly adapting to his new normal, which includes redeeming fallen angels and dodging the occasional angel attack, he's forced to confront his greatest foe yet. Revealed to be Aaron's father, as well as the mastermind of the ongoing struggle between God and the fallen angels, Lucifer is up to his old tricks again as he attempts to persuade Aaron to use his powers to free him from the underworld and complete his conquest against God. Following Aaron's refusal, the two do battle one final time, with all the terribly dated effects you'd expect from a mid-2000s budget show from ABC Family.

Created by and starring the late comedian Louie Anderson, "The Louie Show" saw Cranston take on one of the first supporting character roles of his career. Not to be confused with the other comedy series of a similar name, this mid-90s sitcom was another short-lived entry, only airing for a total of six episodes before its hasty cancellation.

Set in Duluth, Minnesota, the handful of episodes we did get saw Anderson as the head of a group of friends while doubling as their psychotherapist, helping each of them deal with their problems in comedic fashion. Cranston played Curt Sincic, Louie's closest friend and the complete inverse of Anderson's energetic and oddball mannerisms. Curt was also a detective in the Duluth police department and often confided in Anderson about his relationship issues with his wife. Although just a brief footnote in Cranston's impressive career, it would help lay the groundwork for some of his most iconic roles years later.

Which only slightly family-friendly character would Bryan Cranston portray just a few years before his career apex in 2008? If you don't know the answer to this question, you likely didn't turn on your TV for a few years in the early 2000s. "Malcolm in the Middle" quickly became a household favorite after its early 2000 debut, spinning the family sitcom genre on its head and delivering a healthy jolt of hilarious sarcasm to its viewers on a weekly basis.

Middle child Malcom already has it rough dealing with his hot-headed older brother Reese and chaotic younger brother Dewey, and things don't get any better when it comes to his two parents. Cranston became a fan favorite for portraying Malcolm's father, Hal Wilkerson. Taking Cranston's comedic roots to the next level, Hal's dopey and absent-minded personality proved, time and time again, to make him the lovable idiot of the series across its seven seasons. Who could have suspected that shortly after this hilariously irreverent comedy would draw to a close in 2006, family man Hal would go on to become one of the biggest meth kingpins in the country?

On the verge of being typecast after "Malcolm in the Middle," Cranston has gone on to prove that he's more than capable of tackling any role a director can throw at him. And thanks to his lead performance in the 2018 animated adventure film "Isle of Dogs," you can add a scruffy stop-motion dog to the growing list. One of the best films directed by Wes Anderson so far, "Isle of Dogs" has a distinct style, and while Anderson films typically make heavy usage of striking visuals and uniquely whimsical comedy, this one strikes a somber tone at times, both with its powerful score and its bleak setting.

In the near future, Japan has exiled all its dogs to a remote island to combat an outbreak of canine flu. After a young pilot's dog is sent to the island, he mounts a rescue mission, finding unlikely help in a pack of stray dogs. Their leader, Chief, voiced by Cranston, guides him through the isle as they encounter other members of the scrappy society, all while inching closer to a deeper conspiracy at play.

Bryan Cranston stars as Sal Nealon alongside Steve Carell and Laurence Fishburne in this 2017 drama, which delves into the effects of war long after the battle is over. The three leads portray a group of Vietnam veterans who reunite years after their service to carry out the unenviable task of burying one of the men's sons, a member of the Marine Corps recently killed in Iraq. Despite the grim premise, there's a fair bit of comic relief throughout the film, even though it can feel a bit out of place at times.

With one of the men becoming a religious preacher in his later life and another wracked with grief over his loss, Cranston's place in the group is as the hard-drinking ruffian who tells it like it is. He frequently butts heads with Fishburne's Richard Mueller, accusing him of becoming a bore in his old age, and Mueller in turn thinking Nealon too juvenile. And while the trio find it hard to get along at first, especially as a result of being plagued by their own troubled pasts, they find it in themselves to help each other through their darkest hours by film's end.

While Cranston typically finds himself as a supporting character in films, the 2015 drama "Trumbo" saw him take center stage. A period piece set during the second Red Scare, Cranston portrays the real life figure of Dalton Trumbo, a Hollywood screenwriter and avid member of the Communist Party of the USA. His controversial political beliefs land him in hot water both with the U.S. government and his fellow Hollywood moguls, leading to him becoming ostracized by the community and ultimately imprisoned for nearly a year.

Coming off of his career highlight in "Breaking Bad" and firmly establishing himself as an actor capable of taking on more serious roles, Cranston's does a great work here portraying an often overlooked page in American history. Trumbo's struggle to reestablish himself in Hollywood following his release from prison, as well as the steps he has to take so as not to become a repeat offender, all culminate in a thoroughly enjoyable film. Even though "Trumbo" didn't do huge numbers at the box office, it's worth checking out for fans of American history, as well as Cranston's more sophisticated performances.

2016 proved to be a busy year for Bryan Cranston, with a number of his most memorable films seeing release. And if you can't tell by now, one of the most common characters for him to play is one who blurs the line between good and evil. While this biographical crime thriller does differ from his typical fare by portraying Cranston as a special agent working with U.S. Customs to try and bring down Pablo Escobar's drug empire, he's forced to skirt the line between right and wrong when going undercover to infiltrate the criminal enterprise.

Even though it had a weak opening at the box office and a relatively cliche plot, those who did see this historical flick agree Cranston's performance was the strongest aspect of the film. In a 2016 review, Peter Sobczynski wrote that "What does work in 'The Infiltrator' is the impressive lead performance by Bryan Cranston as Mazur. It's a tricky character to pull off because for large chunks of the film, he is essentially delivering two performances at the same time ... and for the film to have any chance of working, he has to be completely believable in both roles."

Batman has had almost too many interpretations to count over the years. From his numerous appearances in comics, video games, TV shows, and films, he's long been one of DC's most popular heroes, and undeniably one of the most iconic. While Cranston doesn't voice the caped crusader himself in the 2011 animated adaptation of the legendary Frank Miller story "Batman: Year One," he does portray one of his staunchest allies, Jim Gordon. As the name suggests, however, this film takes a look at the moody city of Gotham and its inhabitants some time before they would settle into the roles we know them best for, meaning Gordon hasn't quite made commissioner yet.

Cranston does a good job depicting the no-nonsense Jim Gordon. Disillusioned by the rampant crime and corruption plaguing Gotham, Gordon feels he has something to prove, making it his mission to clean up the city. He even takes things a step too far, ordered to catch Batman himself by Commissioner Gillian Loeb and trying to connect the dots and uncover Batman's true identity as Bruce Wayne.

Critics and audiences remain mixed on how well Tony Kaye's "Detachment" was executed, which was no easy feat given its intense material. Starring Adrien Brody, the film shows his day-to-day life as a substitute teacher, getting a glimpse into the fractured lives of both the faculty and students and forcing him to re-examine his own troubled past. Cranston plays Mr. Dearden, husband to the school's principal, who's own career and life is in shambles.

Even though Cranston had a relatively minor part in the 2011 drama, he had some pretty complicated feelings when it came to both the film itself and the time he spent working with its director. When asked what he thought of his experience with Kaye, Cranston said: "I don't believe that I'll be working with him again. I didn't not get along with him on a personal level. But I just honor the writing. I really think that writing is the most important element there is. It is the springboard. It is where everything starts. And if you don't honor that — which I didn't feel it was — then where are you?"

Far removed from his later roles as a cold and calculating man on the wrong side of the law, "The Upside" puts Cranston in the role of Philip Lacasse, a quadriplegic in need of a caregiver. He soon befriends Kevin Hart's Dell Scott, a man with a broken family who's on the verge of violating his parole and persuades Lacasse to give him the job. Through Scott's employment, the two forge a friendship, delving deeper into Scott's troubled past and casting light on Lacasse's own traumatic backstory.

A feel-good movie, "The Upside" delivers on the moments you might expect from a story like this, both good and bad. Critics didn't like this one too much, and the plot does feel a bit standard at times, but audiences couldn't get enough. Both Hart and Cranston succeed in their performances — though Cranston took some heat for playing a disabled character — making it worth watching if you're looking for a lighthearted film with a bit of comedy and a bit of drama.

Showcasing a part of American history that's often ignored, "Red Tails" is a dramatic retelling of the real-life history behind the formation and subsequent missions of the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought during the second World War. Consisting almost entirely of African American pilots, the Tuskegee Airmen predictably faced an uphill battle on a daily basis, against both the enemy in the air and their commanding officers on the ground. While his time on screen was relatively brief, Cranston depicted one such officer, Colonel Mortamus.

Following the airmen's successful downing of a number of enemy fighters, they meet with some top members of the Army Air Corps. Mortamus, hard to impress and unable to see past some of his deep seated prejudices, dismisses their accomplishments by stating that no matter how many fighters they down, it will never change what he thinks of the group. Considering Cranston's long history of playing some pretty heinous villains, it says a lot that Mortamus is up there with some of the worst.

Another R-rated romantic comedy from Cranston's filmography, "Why Him?" sees the beloved actor take on the more typical comedy role of the love interest's hard-to-please father. In this case, Ned Fleming's skepticism isn't without reason, as his daughter Stephanie managed to set her sights on Laird Mayhew (James Franco), an atypical boyfriend who doesn't hesitate to display his juvenile behavior time and time again. After being blindsided by Ned's refusal to give Laird his blessing for Stephanie's hand in marriage, Laird makes it his mission to change Ned's mind.

Despite a few ill-advised attempts, including the wealthy Laird outright buying the unprofitable printing company that Ned owns — to which Ned responds by punching Laird in the face — the two are ultimately able to square away their differences. It's only after Ned capitulates that Stephanie reveals she isn't even all that excited to get married yet, anyway.

Based on the John Steinbeck novel of the same name, the film adaptation of "In Dubious Battle" proved to be both a catastrophic box office flop and underwhelmingly rated by critics. To make matters worse, the 2016 drama also failed to resonate with audiences despite its compelling story. And while it was far from his best work to date, Cranston still proved that he never fails to at least give a solid performance, no matter the material he's working with.

Wracked by the effects of the Great Depression in the 1930s, a small California labor town is on the precipice of civil unrest after workers' wages are slashed. While he has a small part in the story, especially compared to the rest of the star-studded cast, Cranston plays the town's sheriff, who escalates the situation by involving the National Guard after the workers begin to unionize.

Despite only appearing in a single episode of the legendary 1990s sci-fi mystery series starring everyone's favorite alien-wrangling FBI duo, Cranston's performance here would serve as the ultimate foreshadowing for some of the career highlights. His first major role outside of sitcoms, his true acting range was shown via the character of Patrick Crump, appearing in the Season 6 episode "Drive." After being apprehended during a high-speed chase, Cranston is arrested for kidnapping his wife, who's taken into police custody seconds before suffering a grisly and unexplainable death. During the subsequent investigation by the agents, Mulder is taken hostage by Crump, who puts a gun to Mulder's head and forces him to drive nonstop to try to relieve a growing pain in his ear — and to avoid befalling the same fate as his wife.

In an incredible bit of trivia, this episode was co-produced by Vince Gilligan, who would go on to create "Breaking Bad" a decade later. Gilligan has even said that Cranston's performance in "Drive" was what sold him on casting Cranston as Walter White despite the studio trying to pitch other actors for the role. Without this one-off episode of "The X-Files," one of the most iconic television series of the last decade would have looked very different.