Bryan Cranston asks fans on social media to “Hit The Pause Button,” revealing he has not planned out when he may retire from acting. From portraying meek but good-natured father Hal in Malcolm and the Middle to bringing teacher-turned-drug kingpin Walter White’s fall from grace to life in Breaking Bad, Cranston has been performing on stage, film, and television for over 40 years. Cranston has earned numerous accolades for his work across his career, including multiple Emmy nominees and wins for his portrayal of White. Recently, Cranston seemingly confirmed he’ll retire by 2026 in a recent interview, but he has quickly taken to Instagram to clarify his comments.
In a thorough response, Cranston stated that he intends to take a year-long break from acting rather than fully retiring in 2026 since he wants to spend time with his wife, Robin Dearden. He also wants to evaluate what he would like to do with the next stage of his career. Check out Cranston’s full statement below:
Hey everyone, I hope this little message finds you well. Some news came out that wasn’t entirely clear…even to me. So I wanted to set the record straight.
I am not retiring.
What I am going to do is hit the pause button for a year after I reach my 70th birthday in 2026. Holy crap – 70!
I’m not even sure what ‘pausing’ means entirely, but at this moment, I think it means that by taking a year off it will provide several things;
First, it will allow me to spend time with Robin (my beautiful wife of 34 years now) in a way that I haven’t been able to in the last 25 years…not as a wife of a celebrity, but as a loving married couple entering into – well, let’s be honest, our latter years, with new hopes and goals and experiences.
Secondly, it gives me a sort of ‘reset’ in my career. I’ve had such an unbelievable ride for over two decades – with playing characters on TV, films, and on stage that I could only have dreamt about…until it actually happened. I could not be more grateful and thankful for such opportunities. That said, I feel as though I’m beginning to run out of fresh ideas in how to play characters that I’m being offered. So exploring a more expanded life experience will give me the chance to replenish my soul and prepare for whatever roles I may be afforded in a more authentic way.
I will unplug from social media, step off the hamster wheel of business, and dive into the classic novels that I’ve always promised myself I would read but haven’t…But before that happens, I’ve got some unfinished business.
Several films are coming out soon that I’m very proud of, I am producing a few stories for TV that I really love, and I am circling my attention on returning to Broadway – but this time in a new light…more on that later. For now, let me just express my deep gratitude to all of you who have been so incredibly kind and generous with your time in reading my posts and following my career. I never take my good fortune for granted. I am blessed, and man, do I know it. I wish all of you well…and I’ll see you down the road.
Love, Bryan
What’s Next For Bryan Cranston In 2023?
While Cranston has no plans to end his acting career anytime soon, audiences will not have to wait long to see the actor on-screen again. Cranston reunited with Breaking Bad co-star Aaron Paul in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 16, where the two will have a guest role in an episode that sees Charlie Day’s Charlie Kelly chaperone the pair’s characters. Meanwhile, Cranston will also appear in Wes Anderson’s sci-fi rom-com Asteroid City, playing a host of an anthology television series in the world of a 1955 American desert town.
Following his Always Sunny and Asteroid City appearances, Cranston will dive into the world of subterfuge and espionage alongside Henry Cavill in Matthew Vaughn’s Argyle. Based on a currently-unreleased novel written by Elly Cnwy, the star-studded crime thriller will follow an amnesiac highly-trained spy who embarks on a quest for revenge once he realizes his false life as a novelist is a lie. Cranston is also filming Jon. S Bard’s Everything’s Going to Be Great, though details about the feature are scarce.
With Cranston tackling comedic, tragic, and dramatic roles across film, television, and stage, the actor has become a favorite among audiences. As such, Cranston fans who may have been shocked to hear about his supposed acting retirement plan will be relieved to hear this update. Also, Cranston teases how he hopes to try new roles, unlike anything he has previously taken, leaving curiosities about future projects followings his hiatus.
