Now with three Emmys for the role of a lifetime in "Breaking Bad" and a recent Tony win for his Broadway appearance in "All the Way," how does the 58-year-old actor decide which role to take next?
Cranston recently revealed to GQ he undertakes a very methodical process to figure out his next role.
For every part offered, he makes a chart referred to as Caps (Cranston Assessment Project Scale).
From GQ:
"... On the left he writes the offers in blue ballpoint. Along the top, five categories, listed in decreasing order of importance - Story, Script, Role, Director, Cast - each of which he gives a score to. There are bonus points (salary) and minus points (time away from family). And then he decides. Anything under 16, no way. Anything more than 25, you bet. Argo, directed by Ben Affleck, was a 28. Breaking Bad maxed it out. 'Every level was at the top. Easy decision.'"
Cranston, who recently appeared in summer hit "Godzilla," originally turned down the role as engineer Joe Brody because it didn't pass his "Caps" assessment. It received a 20 on the Cranston scale.
Eventually, his agent convinced him to take a second look at the script and after adding in more points for a "surprisingly good script," "Godzilla" became the first role Cranston accepted after finishing "Breaking Bad."
The entire piece is a must read for Cranston fans. It's extremely telling about the actor's childhood.
Read the entire article from the May issue of UK's GQ here.