Bryan Cranston Says One Scene in The Studio Season 2 Could End His Career
Bryan Cranston is teasing a wild Oscars-related swing in The Studio Season 2 — a scene he says could either rocket his career or blow up in his face. Fresh off the show’s hit first season, he hints the moment will stun fans as he talks up several upcoming projects.
If you thought season one of The Studio was bonkers, you haven’t seen anything yet. Bryan Cranston, not exactly someone who shies away from absurdity (see: literally any episode of Malcolm in the Middle), has tipped us off to a sequence in the upcoming season that’ll apparently land somewhere between career high-water mark and outright catastrophe. It’s all sounding very on-brand for Apple TV+’s madcap love letter (or hate mail, depending on your outlook) to Hollywood.
The Venice Detour & A-List Cameos
This latest tease cropped up during Variety’s Actors on Actors series, where Cranston sat down with Rhea Seehorn. Yes, the Rhea Seehorn of Vince Gilligan universe fame – but for once, it wasn’t all talk about Breaking Bad. Instead, Seehorn wormed a few juicy details out of Cranston about where The Studio is heading in season two.
For starters, production apparently packed up and set sail for Venice, Italy. Why? They wanted to stage their own version of the Venice Film Festival. Not exactly the sort of set you knock together overnight, so credit where it’s due for ambition. That’s not the only upgrade – the list of celebrity appearances is getting daft, honestly. The likes of Madonna, Michael Keaton, Donald Glover, and Julia Garner are all turning up to play, well, themselves. That alone probably cost Apple a decent chunk of their hardware profits.
- Madonna has impressed Cranston in particular. To quote him quite directly, she was 'terrific' and 'very funny', and apparently took the job surprisingly seriously.
- If you enjoyed the parade of cameos the first time round, it looks like season two’s going even bigger. Make of that what you will.
The Oscars Scene: Genius or Car Crash?
This is where things get especially odd. Seehorn, having a bit of a laugh, asked Cranston if he was 'on drugs again' (her words, not mine). Cranston didn’t miss a beat – he started riffing about a scene involving the Academy Awards that he’s almost worried to talk about. He’s keeping it mysterious, only saying fans 'will not believe what happens'.
Apparently, it’s the kind of sequence that’s going to get people either raving…or howling. Either way, expect much frantic rewinding and group chats debating just how far is too far for a meta-industry comedy.
Catherine O'Hara & Cranston’s On-Screen History
The other random gem from the chat: Cranston having a good old gush about Catherine O'Hara, who plays his arch-nemesis on the show. The twist? They’ve been married three times before on camera (just not in The Studio), and Cranston reckons he actually misses having more scenes with her. Not hard to see why, given her comedic track record, but it’s a great bit of TV trivia if you like that sort of thing.
Why All the Fuss?
The Studio has turned into one of Apple TV+’s most successful comedies (not a crowded field yet, but still notable), and Cranston pocketed an Emmy for his troubles as guest star in season one. The bar’s been set rather high, which might help explain why he’s dancing on the edge with this Oscars moment. Whether it’s genius or just plain surreal, at least we know everyone will be talking about it – for better or worse.