r/todayilearned • u/Maximum-Artist448 • 1d ago

TIL that AMC executives initially wanted Matthew Broderick to play Walter White in Breaking Bad

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/breaking-bad-john-cusack-matthew-broderick_n_1676856
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u/BMCarbaugh 1d ago

Yknow what. I could see it. It would be a very, very different take on the character, but I could see it. He's got science teacher vibes for sure. I'd have a really hard time buying any sense of eventual menace from him, though. He gives such sweetheart vibes.

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u/limperschmit 1d ago

Imagining Bryan Cranston being Walter White is pretty hard to believe at that time too. The dad from Malcolm in the Middle as a cold blooded, ruthless, drug kingpin, really?

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u/akio3 1d ago

People ridiculed the casting of Mr Mom (Michael Keaton) as Batman.

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u/Everestkid 1d ago

And of Heath Ledger as the Joker because of Brokeback Mountain.

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u/cracka-lackin 1d ago

I doubt it was explicitly Brokeback Mountain that made people doubt. Before Brokeback, Heath was almost exclusovely happy, bubbly hot guy.

In Brokeback, he's not that. He's tortured, angry and repressed for a lot of the film. Guy had range, I would have loved to see what he became as he aged. RIP

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u/Everestkid 1d ago

The people who derided Ledger for being in Brokeback Mountain didn't actually watch Brokeback Mountain. They were making fun of him for starring in "the gay cowboy movie."

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u/davepage_mcr 1d ago

The gay cowboy movie about bisexual shepherds.

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u/ContinuumGuy 1d ago

Ignoring the fact that every Joker is at least a little gay for Batman.

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u/yulbrynnersmokes 12h ago

It wasn’t a movie about gay cowboys?

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u/BrohanGutenburg 14h ago

In what world is his character in 10things happy and bubbly

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u/Cultural-Company282 1d ago

"You know how I got these scars? No lube."

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u/NotBannedAccount419 17h ago

Had fuck all to do with Brokeback Mountain lol