In Cranston's 2016 memoir, &34;A Life in Parts,&34; he says Zahn was in contention to play everyone's favorite chemistryteacherturneddrugkingpin. Steve Zahn disputes Bryan Cranston's claim about Breaking Bad role: 'I think Cranston is lying!' In Cranston's 2016 memoir, &34;A Life in Parts,&34; he says Zahn was in contention to play everyone's favorite chemistryteacherturneddrugkingpin. By Lauren Huff :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/PXL202501060627063092a245c0a56a194868af7b6a47af56223c.

In Cranston's 2016 memoir, "A Life in Parts," he says Zahn was in contention to play everyone's favorite chemistry-teacher-turned-drug-kingpin.

Steve Zahn disputes Bryan Cranston's claim about *Breaking Bad *role: 'I think Cranston is lying!'

In Cranston's 2016 memoir, "A Life in Parts," he says Zahn was in contention to play everyone's favorite chemistry-teacher-turned-drug-kingpin.

By Lauren Huff

Lauren Huff

Lauren Huff is an award-winning journalist and staff writer at ** with over 12 years of experience covering all facets of the entertainment industry.

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Steve Zahn at the 'Chad Powers' premiere at the Rose Bowl; Bryan Cranston on 'Breaking Bad'. Credit:

Amy Sussman/WireImage; Ursula Coyote/AMC

Steve Zahn as Walter White? He says it ain't so — no matter where you heard it.

Case in point: In Bryan Cranston's 2016 memoir, *A* *Life in Parts*, the actor claims that Zahn was in contention for the role of Walter White on *Breaking Bad*, which famously went to Cranston and netted him four Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

Zahn was asked about the claim in a recent interview with *The Hollywood Reporter*, when the outlet point-blank asked if he'd been on a "shortlist for the role of Walter White? Or was there some actual back and forth?"

"No," he replied simply. When the outlet pointed out that Cranston himself has made that claim all these years, Zahn laughed and said, "Oh, really!? Cranston is so awesome, but I find that hard to believe. I think Cranston is lying!"

Referring to Cranston, Zahn continued, "He's in London right now doing a play, and I'm shooting in London, so I'm going to go talk to him."

Steve Zahn at the 'Anaconda' premiere in Los Angeles.

Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty

Cranston even mentioned the story about Zahn in interviews prior to his memoir, though it's not clear exactly who told him what. Speaking to *Rolling Stone* in 2012, Cranston recalled how *Breaking* *Bad* execs weren't sold on him for the part of the chemistry-teacher-turned-meth-dealer because of his beloved role as the patriarch on *Malcolm in the Middle*.

"Sony and AMC were not convinced I was the guy, because Walter White wasn't Hal from *Malcolm in the Middle*," Cranston said, adding that he'd heard Zahn was up for the role instead. According to the report, Cranston believed he only got the role after telling the network he had an offer for a different show, a Fox pilot in which he'd be playing a doctor.

Still, he said, "If Steve Zahn did Walter, we'd go, 'Oh, my God. Steve Zahn is the guy! Can you imagine anybody but Steve Zahn doing it?' And you wouldn't be able to."

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*Breaking Bad* ran for five seasons on AMC, from 2008 to 2013. Though it was well-received at the time, the series has gone on to be considered among the greatest in television history. In addition to Cranston's individual honors, the show won a whopping 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, eight Satellite Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Peabody Awards, two Critics' Choice Awards, four Television Critics Association Awards, and one British Academy Television Award, among others.

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Zahn can next be seen starring alongside Jack Black, Paul Rudd, and Thandiwe Newton in the giant-snake thriller *Anaconda*, opening Christmas Day.

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Source: Drama

Published: January 05, 2026 at 08:57AM on Source: RON MAG

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