With HBO’s political drama All The Way, Bryan Cranston is primed to add another feather to his prestigious acting cap, reprising his role as Lyndon B. Johnson for the network’s feature film.
From sarcastic suburban dads to ruthless drug kingpins, Cranston’s career is as rich and varied as they come, and in today’s first look at project, the actor is almost unrecognizable in the role of the “accidental president.” Set shortly after the defining events of President Kennedy’s assassination, Cranston’s Johnson takes the oath and is drafted into the oval office during one of the most tumultuous periods of modern American history.
With the country on the brink of the Vietnam War, Johnson’s presidential term is a trying one, though history has taught us that he managed to pass a divisive civil rights bill during his brief time in office. The fact that Cranston has played the part before via the stage production fills us with hope for All The Way, and the creative outing will mark a reunion with his Trumbo director, Jay Roach.
In addressing Cranston’s performance in the feature film, Roach trumpeted the actor’s ability to extract an innate vulnerability from the character, all the while counterbalancing that this a resolute stance when it comes to the harder politics.
“Physically and emotionally Bryan completely channels LBJ,” says director Jay Roach. “We just filmed him and Lady Bird in the Oval Office, after JFK’s assassination. LBJ has arrived as the ‘accidental President.’ He’s almost overwhelmed. In spiritual support, Lady Bird touches his cheek. We melted, like we went back in time and witnessed a private, heart-wrenching moment between these two great people.”
Cranston is joined for the drama by Anthony Mackie – on board as a young Martin Luther King – not to mention Melissa Leo, Bradley Whitford, Stephen Root and Marque Richardson.
All The Way has been slated to air exclusively on HBO in 2016.
