Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston apologises for homophobic joke about closeted actor
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston has apologised for a homophobic joke he made about a closeted gay actor.
Long before his role on the hit AMC show, Cranston had a small part on 90s kids’ show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Recalling filming the show in a 2009 interview, he quipped: “They actually named one of the Power Rangers after me. The Blue Power Ranger’s last name is Cranston… [but] he’s the fey one, that’s the problem.”
David Yost, who played Blue Ranger Billy Cranston on the show, has repeatedly spoken about experiencing horrifying levels of homophobia on-and-off set while filming the show and in the closet.
The actor, who only came out publicly a year after Cranston’s comments, hit out at him this month after Cranston was cast as Zordon in an upcoming Power Rangers remake.
Yost told NBC: “When I read that interview, which took place about a year before I came out publicly, it really hurt me.
“In his mind, he probably thinks he was being funny, but that’s the kind of thing that’s not funny, and that’s the kind of thing I would hear while I was working on set. And when you hear stuff like that enough times, it gets to you – especially when [Cranston] says ‘that’s the problem.”
Cranston has now issued an apology for the off-the-cuff comment.
He said in a statement: “To be honest, I don’t remember saying that. But I accept that I may have as Mr. Yost suggests, in an attempt at humour.
“To hear that my impulsive comment hurt someone’s feelings, makes me contrite.
“I accept responsibility for the thoughtless remark and apologise to Mr Yost and anyone else who may have been offended.”
