‘Breaking Bad‘ is often considered the best television series of all time. Even 13 years after the crime drama’s last episode aired, and with all the polished, high-budget, visually impressive new shows being produced on various platforms, Vince Gilligan‘s modest and simple creation still holds a special place in our hearts.
But if someone asks you who your least favorite character in the show is, chances are you would name Skylar White (played by Anna Gunn), the wife of the show’s protagonist, Walter White/Heisenberg (played by Bryan Cranston). And that would not be a major shock. Despite the bone-chilling, cold-blooded villains of the show, she somehow stands out as the most annoying of all. Now, after all these years, Cranston has finally addressed one of television’s most polarizing characters.
Bryan Cranston’s Honest Take on Anna Gunn’s Performance
During a recent candid chat, Cranston brought back the debate over one of television’s most talked-about characters. The actor, who portrayed the meth kingpin on ‘Breaking Bad,’ stepped up to praise his wife on-screen and the actress who brought her to life.
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Cranston acknowledged the harsh criticism Gunn endured during and after the show’s run. He emphasized that she is a “superb actor,” who handled a very difficult role with care. According to him, Skylar was a woman stuck in a situation that kept getting worse, and Gunn showed that struggle in a very real way.
Why Fans Hated Skylar So Much?
Skylar White, the pregnant wife and eventual reluctant accomplice to Walter’s criminal empire in ‘Breaking Bad,’ was often labeled as “nagging,” “annoying,” or worse by sections of the fanbase. Many viewers who rooted for Walter’s transformation into Heisenberg perceived Skylar as an obstacle to his dark ambitions rather than a mother trying to protect her family.
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The backlash, though, did not stay limited to the screen. Anna Gunn faced death threats and abusive messages. The situation became so serious that she penned a 2013 The New York Times op-ed titled, “I Have a Character Issue.” In it, she pointed out how the reaction reflected deeper societal problems, including misogyny and the tendency to excuse male anti-heroes while judging the women who stand up to them.
Why Skylar White was Never the Villain in ‘Breaking Bad’
Bryan Cranston’s latest defense highlights the strength of the writing and performances in ‘Breaking Bad.’ Skylar was never meant to be a perfect or passive partner, and instead, she was written as a complex and flawed person, trying to deal with her husband’s lies, his cancer diagnosis, and his growing involvement in drugs and violence.
“She’s pregnant, he’s making crystal methamphetamine, and people have died — and she’s the b—h,” Cranston noted in his remarks, cutting through the noise and reminding viewers of the basic moral reality at the center of the story.
The Oscar-nominated actor, who has closely remained tied to the ‘Breaking Bad‘ universe through ‘Better Call Saul‘ and various reunions, has often spoken about the show’s lasting impact.
Anna Gunn’s performance earned strong critical praise, including an Emmy nomination, but public conversations often reduced her to the character she played.
In the end, it just shows how exceptional Gunn was in her performance. Both the show and its creator brought out the very best in her, and in a series that features the most deranged criminals, such as Gus Fring, the Salamancas, or even Jack Welker’s white supremacist gang, her Skylar White somehow outshines them all.
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