Bryan Cranston plays himself in James Franco’s The Masterpiece

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Some folks just love to be busy, moving from one project to the next all while juggling a dozen others, but I would imagine that James Franco would give those types a run for their money. It seems that not a day goes by when I don't hear about James Franco starring and/or producing and/or directing something, and one of his many upcoming projects is THE MASTERPIECE, a biographical comedy centered around the making of Tommy Wiseau's cult-hit THE ROOM. The film already boasts a large ensemble cast including Seth Rogen, Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Josh Hutcherson, Zac Efron, Ari Graynor, Sharon Stone and many others, but James Franco recently added another name to that list when he revealed that Bryan Cranston would also be appearing in THE MASTERPIECE as…himself.

While speaking with the South China Morning Post (via The Playlist), Franco said that after Bryan Cranston and himself were cast in WHY HIM?, it took eight months for production on that film to kick off. During that time Cranston and Franco became good friends and Franco asked him to play a role in both IN DUBIOUS BATTLE and THE MASTERPIECE.

It took eight months for the film to go ahead and I asked Bryan to play Sheriff in In Dubious Battle, and then I directed The Masterpiece and he did that too. I asked if he would play himself, and he actually plays a version of himself from the early 2000s, so it’s Bryan Cranston from Malcolm in the Middle. It just speaks to his love of cinema that he supports his fellow artists.

In addition to Bryan Cranston, we may see another fixture of the early 2000's sitcom scene as Scrubs' Zach Braff will reportedly also be playing himself in THE MASTERPIECE. Production on the film, which James Franco also produced and directed, finished up in January, but we still haven't seen much from the movie nor heard when we might finally get to see it. Bryan Cranston and James Franco's WHY HIM? hit theaters just last week, but unfortunately has received rather mixed reviews, including one from our own Chris Bumbray. Here's hoping that THE MASTERPIECE fares a little better.