How an Extra Helped Bryan Cranston Get Nominated for an Oscar

A background extra shares an inside look at working with Bryan Cranston on the Academy Award nominated movie Trumbo.

Bryan Cranston was recently nominated for an Academy Award but, despite competing against the frontrunner, Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) Cranston stands a good chance at winning his first Academy Award for his performance in the movie Trumbo. 

Bryan Cranston’s Academy Award nominated movie centers around the successful career of Hollywood screenwriter, Dalton Trumbo, comes to an end when he is blacklisted in the 1940s for being a Communist.

A few weeks ago, we had a unique opportunity to talk with an actor, Duane Moseley, who worked closely as a background actor with Bryan Cranston on set of Trumbo and he gave an inside look at Bryan Cranston’s acting performance. He describes Cranston as being a “very personable on set, he introduced himself and referred to me by my name. When we were back waiting for the scene to start he was very loose and talkative.”

In addition, Moseley revealed that Bryan Cranston’s acting process is not as intense as you would expect. “He didn’t seem to be intense at all. It seemed to all just flow naturally. He would seamlessly go from being Bryan between takes to Trumbo during a scene. Some actors you see between takes seem to be constantly concentrating. He didn’t seem to do that.”

The most interesting detail comes when Bryan Cranston had an intense final scene in the movie and right before the scene takes place, Moseley helps Cranston in the most epic way possible. Moseley explains:

The first time we prepared to shoot the scene he asked the PA next to us if she had a mint because he had just eaten some cheesy fries and has to kiss Diane Lane at the end of the scene. The PA didn’t have anything and since I had just went by crafty I had a mint and I gave it to him. He said “Thanks Duane, you’re a life saver.”

While that may not have been the exact reason why Bryan Cranston was nominated for an Oscar, it definitely helped Cranston add the icing to the cake of an amazing acting performance.

You can read the full interview with Duane Mosely below!