Bryan Cranston talks about on-set turbulence with ‘Detachment’ director Tony Kaye

Bryan Cranston spent the last two weeks on the set of the new film ‘Get A Job,’ and was just getting ready to leave for the set of “Breaking Bad” when a group of reporters sat down with him to discuss his role in the film.  In the middle of the interview, he confessed to having serious disagreements with director Tony Kaye, most famous for fighting with Edward Norton on the set of “American History X.”

In trying to frame a question about how Cranston picks his projects now that he’s not worrying about financial stability, one of the reporters brought up the example of “Detachment,” a new film that is on VOD now, and rolling out in a limited release this week in a few cities theatrically.  He told Cranston he loved the movie and then started to ask his question.

“Wait,” Cranston said, “did you like ‘Detachment’?”

The reporter said again that he loved it, and Cranston seemed surprised.  “I haven’t seen it,” he told the assembled press.  “I’m surprised to hear that actually.”  When asked to clarify, he continued, “Because I felt that Carl Lund, the writer of ‘Detachment,’ wrote a really beautiful, haunting script.  And I didn’t feel that it was honored.”

Shocked by Cranston’s frankness, the reporters pushed him for more on that disagreement.  “I was upset with that.  I really was.  And so I didn’t see the movie.”  He sighed, resigned, and continued, after searching for the right way to phrase himself,  “Tony Kaye is a very complicated… interesting fellow.”

He smiled as he chose his words carefully.  “I don’t believe that I’ll be working with him again.  I didn’t not get along with him on a personal level.  But I just honor the writing.  I really think that writing is the most important element there is.  It is the springboard.  It is where everything starts.  And if you don’t honor that — which I didn’t feel it was — then where are you?”

He leaned in as if telling everyone a secret.  “And I’m not the only actor on that film to feel that way.”

He settled back again, shaking his head.  “If it turned out good, I”m happy for that,  I just don’t want to do a movie just to do a movie.  I want to be able to look back on everything that I’ve done and be proud.  It doesn’t mean it has to be a box-office hit, and it doesn’t have to be lauded by every critic.”

This is just one of many skirmishes Kaye has been involved one.  The “American History X’ set was chaotic, but in post-production, Kaye and star Edward Norton clashed almost constantly, with Kaye even dropping his “Directed By’ credit at one point, giving his credit to his dog instead.

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