Bryan Cranston Confirms Sequel to Acclaimed Movie

In a new episode of Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher, acclaimed actor Bryan Cranston revealed that he and Kevin Hart are developing a sequel to The Upside, their 2017 film about a recently-released convict who befriends a quadriplegic billionaire. The actor does not get into the details of the sequel, instead talking about his experience playing the role in The Upside, complaining that some members of the audience were upset that he played the role, rather than allowing a disabled actor to take the gig. This is, of course, very on-brand for Maher, who fixates on perceived instances of “cancel culture.”

In the appearance, Cranston said that he “got a lot of shit for” playing the part, and compared his performance to actors like Al Pacino and Daniel Day Lewis, who had acclaimed performances playing disabled people in the time before conversations about accurate representations onscreen.

“We would have missed some great performances” if those actors had not been given those jobs, said Cranston, who added, “You can only have the perspective of a 66-year-old white male… you can understand but you cannot really know what it feels like to live in that skin.”

According to Variety, who previewed the interview, the full thing will be available tonight.

In The Upside, Phillip is a wealthy quadriplegic who needs a caretaker to help him with his day-to-day routine in his New York penthouse. He decides to hire Dell, a struggling parolee who’s trying to reconnect with his ex and his young son. Despite coming from two different worlds, an unlikely friendship starts to blossom as Dell and Phillip rediscover the joy of living life to the fullest.

The Upside is directed by Neil Burger and written by Jon Hartmere. The film is an American remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables, which was inspired by the life of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo. The film stars Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies, and Aja Naomi King.