Of course, Bryan Cranston being Bryan Cranston, nobody really minded all that much.

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Hi!

Welcome back to the UK.

Thank you, its good to be back.

Soon to be your temporary home, of course, for a few months…

It will, it will.

At the end of this year Ill be doing a play at the National.

Yeah, youll be taking on the role of Howard Beale in the NTs adaptation ofNetwork.

How do you feel about that?

Does that feel like a big weight of responsibility, or are you just excited to get going?

Its an iconic role.

Its all of those things.

Theres responsibility to it, but I dont mind responsibility.

With great opportunity, often theres great responsibility.

Is that theme of emasculation an important one for you to keep exploring in your work?

Or: I feel sorry for him.

Or: No, I like that guy, or whatever it is.

But you present it honestly, and then hope it communicates to the audience.

Because Howard Wakefield is a deeply unpleasant man…

(Mock outrage) I beg your pardon!

Im sorry, I call it like I see it: Howard Wakefield is not a nice bloke.

So what kind of toll does it take, psychically having to inhabit characters this unpleasant?

Its all of those things.

It takes a lot of preparation.

And Howard Wakefield was a man I related to.

Hes a person who wants to slow down his life.

He wants to get off the hamster wheel, just temporarily.

Hes not dissimilar from you, or me, in that a lot is expected of him.

Modern technology is great, but its also raised the level of expectations on you.

You know, you should probably be available.

you gotta answer your texts and your emails, and your voicemails.

Were constantly spinning plates.

And at times dont you feel like you just want to slow it down?

It spins out of control a little bit…

Just a bit.

Ive known Jen for a little while, and weve always been very friendly.

Well, its really great.

Its like, were in each others space, and I dont know if Im comfortable with that.

Can I trust you?

Can you trust me?

And it did help us, I think it was very helpful for when we did the love-making scenes.

When we started that, its like, Oh, we were here before.

And we have a genuine affinity for each other, so that helps.

And then when its over, you disengage, and thats the extent of your life with each other.

Nathaniel Hawthorne first wroteWakefield same name in 1833, I believe it was.

The stories that I hear and that I read was I moved?

Is there any social relevance to it?

Is it just for a laugh which is equally important.

Its got to move me to some strong emotional place, or Im not interested.

How do you feel about returning to that world of comedy?

Seinfeldwas like going to comedy boot camp.

AndCurbwas a blast, I had so much fun.

I think its going to be fun for audiences to see that side of me.

I have the same thing as far as my work: I like to try different things.

so Im excited to come to London and work on stage for six months.

Thats whats really important to me, the storytelling.

Ive never really been money-motivated, so Im not really interested in that.

Youre also quite a prolific television director now, having directed episodes ofThe Office,Breaking BadandBetter Call Saul.

Do you think youll be directing features in the future too?

I have a few screenplays Ive written, and ones starting to get some traction now.

I might be able to direct it next year.

How does it feel watching that universe play out without you in it?

And can we expect to see you in the show at some point soon?

Well, its been over four years now, since the end ofBreaking Bad.

And not because theres some familiarity too it, but because its just damn good.

Its completely its own thing now.

Its its own thing.

The actors are fantastic, and the writing is solid.

Ive been asked to directBetter Call Saul, and I was very keen on doing that.

BecauseBreaking Badchanged my life, so Im all in on that.

Well I for one very much hope that happens.

It would be great.

Bryan Cranston, thank you very much.