Bryan Cranston Steps Away From Directing Because Of His White Privilege

Bryan Cranston is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. His roles as a joyful father in Malcolm in the Middle as well as “the Danger” Walter White have garnered immense praise. Now, Cranston is speaking up about the role his race has played in his career.

Bryan Cranston spoke about being ‘blind’ to racial issues and confronting his own white privilege during an interview with the Los Angeles Times. The acclaimed actor opened up about how he stepped away from a directing role in a play that would have ran at the renowned Geffen Playhouse.

Cranston pointed out that the play that he would have directed was a comedy. It tells the story of an Englishman who takes on the Ku Klux Klan after they try to convert a fishing lodge into a meeting hall. He remarked that he did not feel as if putting on the show would serve to change any of the audiences’ views on the hate group. 

If we’re taking up space with a very palatable play from the 1980s where rich old white people can laugh at white supremacists and say, “Shame on you,” and have a good night in the theater, things need to change, I need to change.

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“It is a privileged viewpoint to be able to look at the Ku Klux Klan and laugh at them and belittle them for their broken and hateful ideology,” he remarked. “The Ku Klux Klan and Charlottesville and white supremacists — that’s still happening and it’s not funny. It’s not funny to any group that is marginalized by these groups’ hatred, and it really taught me something,” Bryan added.

The Actor then discussed how he wanted to step aside in order to allow for plays centered on people of color to be shown to major audiences. Cranston instead took on a part in another play entitled Power of Sail. The production opened at Geffen Playhouse in Westwood on Feb. 17, 2022.

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