Bryan Cranston reveals the one thing he learned about comedy from ‘genius’ Catherine O’Hara: ‘God, I miss her so much.’

What you need to know

• Bryan Cranston credits Catherine O’Hara for teaching him how to balance comedic energy with rest while acting

• The two collaborated on multiple projects including: 30 locks and studio

• “God, I really miss her,” Cranston, 70, said in an interview. esquire

Bryan Cranston says working with Catherine O’Hara was a comedy masterclass.

In a joint interview with esquire with son on screen malcolm in the middleFrankie Muniz, Cranston, was asked what O’Hara, who passed away in January 2026, taught him while they worked together.

“God, I really miss her,” Cranston, 70, began.

“What I learned from Katherine over the decades was her ability to go all in on comedy and then take a break and not perform,” the Emmy winner said. “She wasn’t the kind of person who always tried to be funny off camera. She went at her own pace and got up and running when her time came.”

In 2012, the two made guest appearances on a TV show. 30 locks. More than 10 years later, they joined forces twice more in 2024. for argy And in the Apple TV+ series studio.

Cranston praised the late actress’ ability to balance on-camera and off-camera energies, as well as her collaborative spirit on set.

“Her drive was such that many times she would come up to me and say, ‘Hey, what about this? Why don’t we try this?'” So she was always upbeat, and that gave me the encouragement to do the same for others. “Hey, why don’t you try this?” How about that? ” he shared. “And she really was just a genius, but an even better human being.”

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Preparing for a role in studio, Mr. Cranston admitted. Jimmy Kimmel Live! Last year, they reportedly ingested mushrooms to better understand their personalities.

“I play a character who is wiped out, and I had never had any experience like that. The truth is, I didn’t really know how to act because I hadn’t used drugs that much,” Cranston said.

he held out his hand studio He asked co-creator Seth Rogen and co-star Ike Barinholtz for advice.

“So I was asking Seth Rogen and Ike Barinholtz, ‘You guys are drug addicts! What are you going to tell me?'” According to Cranston, they told him he should microdose mushrooms.

“We were filming a crazy show with Seth Rogen in Las Vegas and decided to go to the Sphere to see the Grateful Dead,” he continued. “If God didn’t tell me to microdosing, what did He tell me?”

Mr Cranston, who also involved Mr O’Hara, said the two were “tense” about the matter and both were “holding onto each other” as they tried to decide whether to go through with it.

“We were nervous, and Ike Barinholtz was our drug dealer. Is it okay to say that?” Cranston questioned, adding, “And he said, ‘I’ll take care of it.'” And I said, “I’ve heard that before!” ”

Mr. Cranston claimed Mr. Barinholtz’s experience with drugs was “nothing” and told Mr. Kimmel, “So he gave us this little thin square of chocolate — you know what that is.” [he told Kimmel]. Some people don’t. And this little square of chocolate, I said, “Is this a piece of chocolate?” It looks like a wafer! ”

“So I split it in half and drank it…nothing. I didn’t feel anything,” he said, adding that when he drank it, “it felt like I had three sips of wine.”

When I approached him, he replied, “There was nothing! There was nothing!” With fake anger.

Filming season 2 studio The problem was just beginning when O’Hara died at age 71 after battling rectal cancer.

Rogan and co-creator Evan Goldberg recently revealed this in the following interview. times They addressed how they plan to address her death in the next episode, noting that they’re “not ignoring it.”

“It was an incredible challenge,” Goldberg said. “Emotionally, dealing with the loss, of course, but also in terms of the show itself. We wrote this song for her to be there.”

“The shockwaves permeate throughout the new season,” Goldberg added.

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