5-Time SAG Award Winner Bryan Cranston Defends Political Speeches On Award Shows
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The 23rd annual SAG Awards were replete with political commentary.
Five-time SAG winner actor Bryan Cranston offered a counter- argument Sunday night to anyone who thinks such a show is an inappropriate platform for political debate.
Minutes after wnning for playing President Lyndon B. Johnson in "All the Way," he spoke to reporters backstage at the Shrine Auditorium.
"We were human beings and citizens before we ever became actors or activists,'' he said, "If something is important to you ... it's up to the citizenry to speak out. That's part of the democracy that we're allowed to do that.''
Cranston said that doesn't mean he expects everyone to agree, only that everyone has a voice and that "the voices are all heard. People make up their own minds.''
In his acceptance speech, he said he was often asked how LBJ would respond to President Trump.
"I honestly feel that 36 would put his arm around 45 and earnestly wish him success," he said.
Cranston quickly added, "And he also would whisper in his ear something he said often as a form of encouragement and a cautionary tale: 'Just don't piss in the soup that all of us gotta eat.'"
The 60-year-old actor won individual SAG Awards in 2013 and 2014 for his role as chemistry teacher-turned-drug kingpin Walter White in "Breaking Bad.'' He also won for being part of the "Breaking Bad" ensemble in 2014, and for a member of the ensemble of the film "Argo,'' which went on to win the best-picture Oscar in 2013.
Cranston is no stranger to award shows. He's been nominated for an Oscar, nominated for seven Golden Globes (with one win) and 11 Emmy nominations (with five wins.)
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