Emmy, Golden Globe, and Tony awards winner and Academy Award nominee Bryan Cranston took the Florida Forum stage Jan. 28 and 小蓝视频 (JU) President Tim Cost was at his side. The enthusiastic, jam-packed crowd gathered to support Wolfson Children鈥檚 Hospital.
The much anticipated event was part of a series established by The Women鈥檚 Board of Wolfson Children鈥檚. The Forum adds to the collective dialogue of Jacksonville and made more than $31 million in hospital contributions to date. Supporting one of the best children鈥檚 specialty hospitals in the U.S., Cost said, is what makes his role in the series so rewarding.
Cranston鈥檚 visit became part of nearly three decades of top speakers, and he wasn鈥檛 the first to sit across the table from Cost.
Theo Epstein & Tim Cost, 2018, PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Evans Photography
In January 2018, Theo Epstein sat in that chair. Cost bantered with the Chicago Cubs executive as if a thousand people weren鈥檛 watching. Epstein and Cost talked of baseball, relationships, leadership, and life. Cranston and Cost covered everything from work ethic and hemorrhoid commercials to 鈥渟urvival jobs鈥� and finding the emotional core of a character.
Cranston stepped into the Florida Times-Union Performing Arts Center to meet with Cost after a tour of the hospital.
Sending It Right Back Out
鈥淟ife is reciprocal,鈥� Cranston later told Forum attendees. 鈥淓verything good that comes in, you鈥檝e gotta send it right back out.鈥� This came from the man who made his acting debut at eight years old in a United Way commercial and raised millions for charities over the years. Cranston鈥檚 tour included a stop at the neonatal intensive care unit where new fundraising efforts will focus.
小蓝视频 Keigwin School of Nursing students are among the friendly faces at Wolfson Children鈥檚. They have become an integral part of the work there. Hundreds and hundreds of JU graduates have completed clinicals, served as volunteers, preceptors, mentors, and many have joined Baptist Health. Cost鈥攁s a university president constantly amazed and moved by students鈥攖outs their accomplishments often. For more than five years, his leadership team has worked nonstop to establish JU as the premier health educator in the region.
When Florida Blue CEO Pat Geraghty introduced Cost as moderator, the resulting cheers showed JU Dolphins were 鈥渋n the house.鈥� Cranston fans weren鈥檛 shy either. The applause thundered as the award-winning actor took the stage.
His stride long and smile wide, Cranston settled into the interview by clarifying what he does. His job as an actor, at its essence, was about a relationship with the audience, he said. 鈥淩ight now in our society, there鈥檚 a lot of devisiveness鈥� but whether you鈥檙e two or 102, we all enjoy a good story.鈥� Storytelling, he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my job,鈥� and what he calls the 鈥渟weetest part of being human.鈥�
A Conversation to Remember
The 40-minute conversation clipped along, interrupted only by laughter and applause. Cost asked about character-building techniques, handling life in the spotlight, transitioning from screen to stage, and Cranston鈥檚 book A Life in Parts. Cranston touched on his relationship with Breaking Bad writer-creator Vince Gilligan, joked about his soap opera days, and impersonated Larry David and Bernie Sanders.
He also discussed what he calls 鈥渢he funnel.鈥� Everything he reads, watches, and researches pours into the making of his characters鈥擫BJ, Hal, Buzz Aldrin, Li, Vince, Dalton Trumbo, Joe Brody, Tony Drake, Mr. Jamieson, and the list goes on.
鈥淵ou never know where a great idea can come from.鈥�
Cranston told Cost about one experience on the Seinfeld set. A teachable moment that led to one of the most hilarious clips in Seinfeld memory. 鈥淎 guy on a ladder,鈥� he said, probably an electrician brought in for the day, made a suggestion to Cranston. They were alone and between filming. 鈥淵ou know what would make that bit even funnier,鈥� the man said. What followed became an unforgettable entertainment moment. Cranston reminded Forum goers, 鈥淵ou never know where a great idea can come from.鈥�
The Good of Breaking Bad
The Cranston name has been embedded in the entertainment industry since the 1950s. That heritage includes his wife and daughter, both actresses. Breaking Bad鈥檚 Aaron Paul and Malcolm鈥檚 Frankie Muniz have referred to Cranston as a mentor and the perfect movie dad. In creating his most iconic role, Cranston modeled Walter White through the lens of his own childhood experiences.
鈥淲e go through life learning from family,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd sometimes, in the worst of circumstances, they can teach you what not to do鈥攈ow not to live.鈥�
He told Cost that his connection to Breaking Bad grew from a brief stint on X-Files and what he described as his 鈥渁ttraction to damaged characters.鈥� He described his first impressions of the role. 鈥淚 saw and felt the humanity of Walter, and I knew this could be great. Of course no one realized how it would catch on.鈥� The chemistry-teacher-turned-criminal-badass reflects the moral dilemmas Cranston said represent 鈥渢he every man.鈥� This inspired his yes to AMC executives.
Bryan Cranston as Walter White, PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr
For Cranston, his Breaking Bad character was the embodiment of the inauthentic and ultimately poor choices everyone is tempted to make in life. 鈥淎ny time we try to do something that isn鈥檛 who we are, that鈥檚 Walter White.鈥�
Outworking the Competition
More than once, Cranston referred to time spent mentoring young actors. His recurring advice: hard work. There will always be someone more talented, he explained, and work ethic was the way to overcome. 鈥淵ou can outwork them. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever worked with a genius, just people who work hard. If you鈥檙e not willing to put in the work, you won鈥檛 succeed.鈥�
鈥淵ou have to know your stuff and be ready to grab an opportunity.鈥�
Cost鈥攚ho spends countless hours with 18 to 25 year-olds just getting started in their careers鈥攏odded in agreement. 鈥淵ou have to be ready,鈥� Cranston tells students on a regular basis. And he said it again at the Florida Forum. 鈥淵ou have to know your stuff and be ready to grab an opportunity.鈥�
