Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston is all praise for Wes Anderson, director of Isle of Dogs, an animated film where Cranston has voiced for a gruff dog
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Cranston has left his Breaking Bad days and how. The actor, producer and screenwriter has taken a turn for animation, as the voice of a mutt in Wes Anderson's stop-motion animated hit, Isle of Dogs. The film is set in a dystopian near-future Japan, where Cranston plays a gruff mutt called Chief.
In an interview, he got chatty about the film and what the journey meant for him. Excerpts:
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What can you tell us about the story?
Isle of Dogs is the brainchild of Wes Anderson. And with all of Wes Anderson's films it's like opening a present and you have no idea what's inside. You introduced to worlds you're not familiar with. That's what great artists do, and Wes is one. He invites people in to see cultures and sensibilities of areas that you're not aware of. Isle of Dogs addresses sociopolitical conditions that we are facing, not just in our country but everywhere in the world. The audiences will glean those ideals. It's about love, placement and identity.
Tell us about your character Chief...
Chief is a stray dog. He fights to eat. Through the course of the movie, it becomes clear what he was born to do. And it's noble.
How is playing a dog different from playing a human?
It's the frame of mind really. It's to allow yourself to feel those traits and idiosyncrasies of that character. We have always transferred our own human experiences and personalities onto our pets. So this was no different. It was not like I was wondering, 'oh what would a dog be thinking?' No. A dog is capable of feeling love and anger and fear just how humans can feel.
What is it like working with Wes Anderson?
He knows specifically what he wants but sometimes it's elusive. And he's very vulnerable in some cases. He'll readily admit, 'I'm not quite sure about this beat or this moment.' That is a wonderful trait in a human being because he's offering up his own uncertainty at any given point; actors embrace that kind of vulnerability. And we want to support him. The only reason actors come back again and again to work with him is because of that nature. He's not dictatorial. But he's not a doormat either. He knows where he wants to go.
What was your first reaction to seeing the film?
The only thing that actors have in the beginning of doing an animated film is to see your character and also others. And the world a little bit. And then you read the script. And then you use your own imagination to see how it would come together. As imaginative as you can be, the world of Wes Anderson is another level. It is deep. With accumulative factor of the vision, sound, music, language, and the culture. It's like a magnificent bouquet of flowers that you receive.
Were you surprised by the film when you saw it?
It's surprising and yet not. Surprising in the sense that like any good art, you're introduced to things you're not familiar with. Elements that you wouldn't have thought of, that Wes' own imagination will allow. On the other hand you knew that it was heading in the general direction of where it could be. You have an idea of what you hope it to be. And then it's 10 times better than that. I can't wait to work with Wes again. He's generous and open — just a lovely man to be with. It's not imperative that you like the people you work with. But it just makes the experience better. That's what I want now. At, at my age I don't want to work with jerks.
What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
Isle of Dogs is about searching for one's identity. I think a lot of people are looking for that. On a more meta level it, it deals with social and political issues on immigration, xenophobia, greed and fear mongering. It's entertaining, funny and a heartfelt film.
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