During a recent appearance on Hot Ones Versus with Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston defended his Breaking Bad wife Skyler White, played by Anna Gunn, who was vilified by fans of the Vince Gilligan drama for interfering with Walter White’s criminal activities.
Muiz declared that he “loved Breaking Bad” but “hated Skyler,” prompting Cranston to justify Skyler’s actions. “All she did was complain,” he said, adding that he thought Walter’s life would “be a lot easier” without her.
“You know, she got a lot of backlash for that,” Cranston responded. “First of all, Anna Gunn is a great actor, but she thought, ‘Oh, why not get off his back?'” Wait a minute. Let me understand this. Her husband leaves without explanation, she gets pregnant, he’s manufacturing crystal methamphetamine, and people are dying. And is she a bitch? Well, we didn’t understand. ”
Then Muiz answered, “If you ask me that, I guess so.”
“Breaking Bad,” which debuted on AMC in 2008, is widely considered one of the greatest television dramas of all time. Cranston plays Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who, after being diagnosed with lung cancer, begins cooking and selling meth to support his family. It won 16 Emmy Awards during its five-season run. In addition to Cranston and Gunn, “Breaking Bad” also starred Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Blunt, RJ Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito.
This isn’t the first time someone from the “Breaking Bad” camp has addressed fan hatred for Skyler. Gilligan said in a 2022 New Yorker profile that both he and Gunn are “troubled” by unwarranted hostility.
“When the show first aired, Skyler was hated tremendously,” Gilligan said. “I think that always bothered Anna Gunn. And I would say it always bothered me, because the character Skylar never did anything to deserve it. And Anna certainly didn’t do anything to deserve it. She played the role beautifully.”
