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Trumbo’s Bryan Cranston cant stop himself going into character even during an interview

TRUMBO directed by Jay Roach, written by John McNamara based on the book by Bruce Cook, with Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Elle Fanning and Louis C.K. An Entertainment One release. 124 minutes. Opens Friday (November 27). See listings.

I can tell how much fun Bryan Cranston had playing Dalton Trumbo, because he wont stop.

Every chance he gets, he slips into Trumbos gravelly, precisely enunciated delivery. This is because Cranston is a pretty goofy person, and the voice of Trumbo is fun he even encourages me to take a run at it at one point.

He talks down like this, Cranston says, dropping his voice an octave, and all of a sudden he would be up like thaaaaat, and then down again. (The web version of this interview includes audio clips. Have a listen.)

Its a delightful voice, and a lesser actor might have used it as the basis for a fun, larger-than-life performance. But Cranston and director Jay Roach understood that Trumbos delivery was a kind of armour against the world.

Trumbo was a character who didnt back down from a fight, Cranston says. He would fight with his words.

Those words became increasingly pointed as the screenwriter of A Guy Named Joe and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo was called to testify before the McCarthy hearings on Communist activity in Hollywood.

Branded as traitors, Trumbo and his comrades found themselves blacklisted by the studios and forced to write under pseudonyms if they wanted to work at all.

In a way, its a cautionary tale, Cranston says. We continue to relive these things now in the States. They want the blanket wiretapping and that sort of thing. What is proper government involvement? What is overstepping? Everybody has a different opinion on where that line is, but the most important thing is that were able to openly discuss the issue from both sides.

Its that openness to other views the understanding that debate is necessary to democracy that drew him to the project.

I think the line that best typifies the message is what Trumbo has to say to John Wayne: We disagree, but then again we both have the right to be wrong. Thats the most important thing. We both have the right to be wrong in each others eyes. I support you. I completely disagree with your point of view, but I support your saying it.

Hes doing the voice again. You cant really blame him. He clearly loves the character, and the licence it gave him.

I was concerned that, because of the theatricality of his nature, youd be, Oh my God, hes so over the top! Cranston admits. You know, Oh my god, hes chewing the scenery! And I had to take that risk, because thats really what he was.

Bryan Cranston on finding Dalton Trumbo’s voice (wait for it):

Cranston on how Breaking Bad enabled him to make this movie:

Cranston on being familiar with the history of the Hollywood Ten:

See our review of Trumbo here.

normw@nowtoronto.com | @normwilner

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