Bryan Cranston has been gracing our screens for more than three decades, but it was the pilot episode of Breaking Bad, back in 2008, that made us realize what a formidable performer he truly is. It hardly seemed possible that the man who played Hal in 151 episodes of Malcolm In The Middle could also embody the ultimate anti-hero, playing the meth-cooking chemistry teacher, Walter White. But, embody him he did, and now, every Cranston performance is highly anticipated. All The Way is no exception to that rule – bringing, as it does, the actor’s Tony-winning stage performance as President Lyndon B. Johnson to HBO.
“Bryan Cranston (Trumbo, Breaking Bad) reprises his Tony-winning role in All The Way, a riveting behind-the-scenes look at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s tumultuous first year in office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Staking his presidency on what would be an historic, unprecedented Civil Rights Act, Johnson finds himself caught between the moral imperative of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the expectations of the southern Democratic Party leaders who brought Johnson to power.”
Directed by Jay Roach, the TV movie is adapted from the original stage play by the playwright himself, Robert Schenkkan. It co-stars Anthony Mackie as Martin Luther King Jr, Bradley Whitford as Hubert Humphrey, Melissa Leo as Lady Bird Johnson, Stephen Root as J. Edgar Hoover, Frank Langella as Senator Richard Russell, Joe Morton as Roy Wilkins, Aisha Hinds as Fannie Lou Hamer and Hilary Ward as Coretta King.
As seen in the trailer, each cast member is clearly bringing their best game to this project – and none more so than Bryan Cranston. Already the recipient of a slew of Emmy awards, a Golden Globe award, and many more nominations besides, Cranston looks set to dominate the field of Best Actor in a TV Movie in the next award season – and deservedly so. While the film in its entirety does not air on HBO until May 21st 2016, at 8pm ET/PT, it is clear from this early footage that All The Way is a very impressive piece of work.
