Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston announces break from acting for a year

Bryan Cranston (Yui Mok/PA)

Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston has announced that he is taking a break from acting for a year which will include “unplugging from social media”.

The 67-year-old American actor, known for portraying chemistry teacher-turned-crime boss Walter White, said he was making the decision to spend more time with his “beautiful” wife Robin Dearden and have “a sort of reset” on his career.

His decision follows British actor Tom Holland telling Extra on Wednesday that he is taking a “year off” after psychological thriller series The Crowded Room “broke” him.

The 27-year-old star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, known for playing Spider-Man in several films, portrayed a character, based on serial rapist Billy Milligan, in the new show.

In a GQ interview last week, Cranston said he plans to shut down his production company, sell his half of his mezcal business Dos Hombres, move to a foreign country for at least six months with his wife and then retire in three years.

However, on Friday the actor told his Instagram followers: “I am not retiring. What I am going to do is hit the pause button for a year after I reach my 70th birthday in 2026. Holy crap – 70!

“I’m not even sure what ‘pausing’ means entirely, but at this moment, I think it means that by taking a year off it will provide several things.

“First, it will allow me to spend time with Robin (my beautiful wife of 34 years now) in a way that I haven’t been able to in the last 25 years… not as a wife of a celebrity, but as a loving married couple entering into – well, let’s be honest, our latter years, with new hopes and goals and experiences.

“Secondly, it gives me a sort of ‘reset’ in my career. I’ve had such an unbelievable ride for over two decades – with playing characters on TV, films, and on stage that I could only have dreamt about… until it actually happened.”

Explaining his decision, Cranston, who married actress Dearden in 1989, said he is “beginning to run out of fresh ideas” on how to portray characters.

Bryan Cranston and Robin Dearden (Ian West/PA)

He added: “So, exploring a more expanded life experience will give me the chance to replenish my soul and prepare for whatever roles I may be afforded in a more authentic way.

“I will unplug from social media, step off the hamster wheel of business, and dive into the classic novels that I’ve always promised myself I would read but haven’t… But before that happens, I’ve got some unfinished business.”

Cranston said he was looking at returning to Broadway and will bring out several films, which are slated to include Wes Anderson’s science fiction flick Asteroid City and other projects such as spy thriller Argylle.

He also said: “For now, let me just express my deep gratitude to all of you who have been so incredibly kind and generous with your time in reading my posts and following my career. I never take my good fortune for granted. I am blessed, and man, do I know it.

“I wish all of you well… and I’ll see you down the road. Love, Bryan.”

It has also been reported that Cranston will now get involved in a Malcolm In The Middle reunion project.

The comedy show aired from 2000 to 2006 and saw Cranston play Hal, who is the father to several sons including Malcolm, played by Frankie Muniz, alongside his wife Lois, played by Jane Kaczmarek.