Bryan Cranston Reveals First Mushroom Trip Before Grateful Dead Concert

Actor Bryan Cranston shared details about his first encounter with mushrooms while discussing his role on the Apple TV+ series, The Studio. The revelation came during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday, where Cranston explained that before starring as a character who consumes a substantial amount of mushrooms, he had never tried them himself.

He described how he sought advice from his co-stars Seth Rogen and Ike Barinholtz, who both have experience with drugs, to prepare for his role. Cranston admitted,

“I’m playing this character who is wiped out and I had never had any experience in that,”

highlighting his unfamiliarity. He added,

“Not that many drugs at all, as a matter of fact, and so I didn’t know really how to behave. So I was asking [The Studio co-creator] Seth Rogen and [costar] Ike Barinholtz, ‘You guys are huge druggies! What can you tell me?’”

Learning About Microdosing and Preparing for the Role

Rogen and Barinholtz recommended microdosing as a safe way to start. Cranston was unfamiliar with the term and asked for more information. He recounted,

“I said, ‘I don’t even know what that is. What is that?’ Well, it’s a microdose, you know?”

Upon learning this, Cranston inquired about the effects and was encouraged to try it despite his hesitation. He recalled,

“And I said, ‘Well, what would the effects be?’ And he said, ‘Well, try some!’ And I go, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on.’”

While filming in Las Vegas, the cast decided to attend a Grateful Dead concert at the Sphere, which provided the opportunity for Cranston’s first experience with mushrooms. Reflecting on the timing, he said,

“We were in Las Vegas shooting this crazy show with Seth Rogen and we all decided to go to the Sphere to see the Grateful Dead,”

and asked rhetorically,

“If God wasn’t telling me to do microdosing, what was he telling me?!”

Experiencing Mushrooms for the First Time with Co-Stars

Despite the encouragement, Cranston and his co-star Catherine O’Hara were both nervous about trying mushrooms. Cranston described their apprehension while sharing,

“We were nervous. And Ike Barinholtz was our drug dealer. Can I say that?”

After confirming he could say it, Cranston added,

“I think I can. And he said, ‘I’ll take care of you.’ And I said, ‘I’ve heard that before!’”

Barinholtz reassured them the experience would be manageable. Cranston detailed the initial dosage,

“So he gave us these little thin square chocolates — you know what it is. Some people know,”

and expressed his surprise,

“And this little square chocolate, I go, ‘It’s a piece of chocolate? It’s like a wafer!’”

He took half of the chocolate first but felt no effect, saying,

“And so I broke it in half, I took it… nothing. I didn’t feel anything.”

After ingesting the remaining half, he still experienced only mild effects, describing it as,

“It felt like maybe I took three sips of wine,”

emphasizing, “It was nothing! Nothing!”

Reflections on Acting and Award Recognition

When Jimmy Kimmel asked whether the microdose eventually took effect, Cranston humorously responded that it did not and expressed frustration, saying, No! Now I’m angry. Kimmel complimented Cranston’s convincing performance, stating,

“So you really are a great actor, it turns out,”

and observed,

“because that [performance on The Studio] was all acting.”

Cranston humbly admitted,

“It was acting. I didn’t know what I was doing.”

Despite his inexperience, Cranston’s portrayal earned widespread acclaim. On Saturday, he won the Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in The Studio. His performance stood out against notable contenders including Jon Bernthal from The Bear and fellow Studio guest stars Martin Scorsese, Dave Franco, Anthony Mackie, and Ron Howard. The Studio garnered nine awards that evening in total.

Significance of Cranston’s Experience and Future Prospects

Bryan Cranston’s candid discussion about his first mushroom experience not only sheds light on his dedication to authentic acting but also highlights a unique behind-the-scenes aspect of The Studio’s production in Las Vegas. His willingness to explore unfamiliar territory for his craft illustrates the lengths actors go to embody their roles convincingly.

Winning the Emmy for his portrayal of a character navigating a drug-altered state adds to Cranston’s distinguished career achievements and suggests that such immersive performances may continue to captivate audiences in future projects.