Wait, what? Bryan Cranston, aka Walter White, was once a real-life murder suspect. Yep, you read that right. In the ‘70s, Cranston was wrapped up in a murder case from Breaking Bad.
Before becoming Heisenberg, Cranston was just a kid cruising the U.S. on a motorcycle, picking up odd jobs. One of those gigs was working at a Daytona Beach restaurant for a tyrannical chef named Peter Wong. Cranston didn’t hold back when describing him: “He was a miserable human being, just a despicable man.” It’s safe to say that Wong wasn’t winning any fan votes.
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But here’s the kicker: While the Cranston brothers weren’t fans of their boss, they never seriously considered acting on their frustrations. But the dark twist came when Wong was found dead shortly after the Cranston brothers moved to a different town. Talk about bad timing. Suddenly, they were suspects. The police even put out an APB on their motorcycles, chasing them down across state lines.
Imagine the shock when Cranston later found out what really went down. A hooker had picked up Wong at a dog track, lured him back to her place, and—wait for it—a guy was waiting to beat him over the head and stuff him into a car trunk. The real murderer was caught, and Cranston and his brother were off the hook, but the whole mess left a permanent mark on their lives.
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This bizarre chapter could’ve derailed Cranston’s career before it even started. But instead, he went on to become a household name. Who could’ve imagined that the man who once joked about killing his tyrannical boss would later play the ultimate anti-hero in Breaking Bad?
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Talk about a close call. Cranston was lucky enough to dodge a Florida prison sentence and went on to thrive in TV and film. And we’re all grateful for that because we got to see him bring to life characters like Malcolm in the Middle’s Hal and, of course, Walter White.
So, next time you watch Bryan Cranston doing his thing on-screen, remember: The man behind Walter White has a backstory that’s almost too wild to believe. A real-life murder mystery? It’s not your average road to fame.
