Bryan Cranston Shares Details of First Mushroom Experience on Kimmel

HOLLYWOOD, California — Bryan Cranston opened up about his first experience with mushrooms during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on September 10. The 69-year-old actor was preparing for his role as Continental Studios CEO Griffin Mill in the new Apple TV+ series “The Studio.”

In a light-hearted discussion, Cranston explained that he had little knowledge of drugs and wanted to understand the effects better. “I’m playing this character who is wiped out and I had never had any experience in that. Not many drugs at all, as a matter of fact, and so I didn’t know really how to behave,” he told Kimmel.

To gain some insight, Cranston reached out to his co-stars Seth Rogen and Ike Barinholtz for advice. He recounted asking them, “You guys are huge druggies! What can you tell me?” They suggested he try microdosing, which led him to inquire, “What is that?” Cranston recalled the conversation with his co-stars, leading them to decide to try the mushrooms together while filming in Las Vegas.

<p“At that moment, I thought, ‘If God wasn’t telling me to do microdosing, what was he telling me?’" Cranston said. Although he was nervous, he and Barinholtz were both hesitant but curious about the experience. Cranston described Barinholtz as their 'drug dealer' for the evening.

<p“The experience involved these little thin square chocolates, and I thought, ‘It’s like a wafer!’” Cranston explained. He went on to share his anticlimactic experience with the drug. "I took it … nothing. I didn’t feel anything," he said, adding that he only felt as if he had consumed a small amount of alcohol. “It was nothing! Nothing!” he exclaimed jokingly.

Kimmel responded lightheartedly, saying, “So you really are a great actor, it turns out, because that was all acting.” Cranston maintained that he had no idea what he was doing during the drug scene, highlighting the importance of acting in his role.

In addition to his reflections on the mushroom experience, Cranston’s appearance followed his Emmy nomination for his work in “The Studio” on September 6. He humorously mentioned being away at a wedding in Minnesota when he learned of the nomination, admitting he had momentarily forgotten about it until reminded.

Cranston continues to impress audiences with his performances and candid storytelling, showcasing both his talent and sense of humor.