I realize that there are probably thousands of people who are still ride-or-die for Bryan Cranston based solely on Breaking Bad. I get it, and I’ve always liked him and had general warmth and respect for him as an actor too. But can we all come together and acknowledge that Cranston has been giving some really bad takes lately? A few weeks ago, Cranston made a boneheaded comment that anyone who actively wishes for Donald Trump to fail is egotistical. He said that if we want Trump to fail, we can go f–k ourselves. To which I say: nope. I’m also giving him a huge NOPE in this new interview, where he’s basically saying that Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein could totally come back from all of their controversies.
Bryan Cranston expressed some controversial thoughts during a recent interview with BBC in which he said the possibility of Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein making a comeback following multiple allegations of sexual harassment and abuse isn’t entirely out of the question. Cranston said both disgraced men could find a way back into Hollywood’s good graces if they show society they are “truly sorry.”
“It would take time, it would take a society to forgive them, and it would take tremendous contrition on their part,” Cranston said. “And a knowingness that they have a deeply rooted psychological and emotional problem and it takes years to mend that. If they were to show us that they put the work in and were truly sorry and making amends and not defending their actions but asking for forgiveness then maybe down the road there is room for that. Maybe so. Then it would be up to us to determine, case by case, whether or not this person deserves a second chance.”
Cranston told the BBC that should both men get to a point where they put in the work to correct their “psychological and emotional problem” that the public should be willing to accept them back.
“We should let that open,” he said. “We shouldn’t close it off and say, ‘To hell with him, rot, and go away from us for the rest of your life.’ Let’s not do that. Let’s be bigger than that. Let’s leave it open for the few who can make it through that gauntlet of trouble and who have reclaimed their life and their dignity and their respect for others. Maybe it’s possible. It would be egotistical for anyone to say, ‘I hope he fails.’ To that person, I would say, ‘F— you. Why would you want that? So you can be right?’”
WHAT IS WRONG WITH BRYAN CRANSTON? Why does he keep on creating this scenarios in his mind where the public in general is just sitting there, waiting for big, important white men to “fail” so we can pounce on them? Why does Cranston keep wanting to say “f–k you” to all of us??? For whatever record, Bryan Cranston, I have never rooted for Kevin Spacey or Harvey Weinstein to fail. I am currently rooting for them to both go to jail for a very long time. I am rooting for their many victims to tell their stories and to be believed and acknowledged by the world. I am rooting for justice and peace for the victims of Weinstein and Spacey, because those two men spent so many years victimizing men and women across the spectrum, and across the world. Their victims are the ones deserving of sympathy, empathy, second chances and respect. Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey can rot in a f–king gutter for all I care.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Sounds to me like he is talking about criminal reform.
Great comment, do we believe a murderer can be forgiven after spending 20 years in jail? I have no idea
Here’s the thing. There is a difference between a killer, and a serial killer. One killed a person, usually heat of the moment, under a specific set of circumstances. Another killed as sport, repeatedly, creating the circumstances surrounding the murder.
Both Harvey and Kevin were serial abusers, actively sought out victims, then worked to put themselves in positions to reap the benifits of their efforts. I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if the set up was as important to them as the abuse itself.
There is no rehabilitating someone the hunts other people like that. There just isn’t. Not killers, not rapists, not cheaters, or scam artists. If people see other people as usable commodities…. those people can’t really be fixed. Maybe thay can get to a place where they aren’t actively seeking out victims…. maybe. But they never really change.
Nobody is going to forget KS and HW abused and raped their way through Hollywood over the years. No one.
@happyoften: ITA.
I think in some cases yes. In cases like crime of passion, getting involved with the wrong people at an early age (cult, gang, etc), robbery gone wrong, etc. But some people can’t be reformed, i.e. serial killers, sociopaths (which i think Spacey, Moore and Weinstein are), and mass murderers. These people will continue to abuse, rape and kill because they have no empathy and remorse.
Angela82,
I agree, sorry if I didn’t make that clear. There is a huge difference between someone that commits a crime 1 time, and someone that actively seeks out potential victims repeatedly.
Both of these men ENJOYED hurting people. It made them feel powerful. Their view of sex necessitated having a victim. There isn’t any fixing that kind of broke.
Agree happyoften.
They aren’t entitled for forgiveness or careers. The best thing they can do for society is to stop their predatory behavior and to stay out of trouble. That’s it. If they wanna make some sizable donations to reputable charities, that’s fine too.
Bryan Cranston sounds like a person who’s never been victimized. So maybe he should shut up and let the survivors lead this conversation. This is like white people telling POC how to feel and deal with racism. No.
Sounds to me like being really soft on sexual abusers and rapists.
Yes. My mind immediately went to, “Et tu, Brute?”
Ugh.
Men who say such things need to be investigated themselves, in my opinion. Like the 50 church whatevers who support that pedophile, too. Something is wrong with Cranston for him to be so lenient about serial rapists and abusers.
I also don’t know the answer…the topic of ‘deserving to be part of society again’, ‘deserving to be forgiven by society’…I don’t know who gets to decide that about men like Weinstein…or how they make that choice…
and how do the people who forgive these guys and start working with them again stop others from lumping them with these monsters and turning their backs on those who forgive them to whatever extent…
Pretty sure if sodomy rape and $ock grabbing was as rampant as female assaults these guys would be less forgiving.
Cranston needs to STFU
His GPS must be broken. He is not on the high road.
I’ve heard some interviews with him and was shocked by how obnoxiously arrogant he came across. “As an actor, one must always keep in mind”… blah, blah, blah. He kept referring to himself on behalf of all actors and acting philosophies. I can’t do it justice in print. He really drove me crazy.
Stick to what you know, pal. Your own experience. Let victims speak to what they know: what it’s like to be terrified, abused and have your career ruined by powerful men in Hollywood. If you weren’t victimized, you older white dude, then shut it and listen.
What have they been convicted of?
It’s a straw man. No one is refuting that redemption isn’t always a theoretical possibility. But the reality is that these two very privileged men show no signs of seeking redemption.
So then he pivots back to the general idea so he can curse out anyone who denies redemption is possible (for two people not seeking redemption).
It’s just logic, yo. Walter White would be embarrassed by the emptiness of his argument.
Sounds to me like he’s got some skeletons of his own rattling around he’s scared are going to come out now.
THIS ALL DAY!!! He sounds like a man who is terrified of being shunned for bad behaviour. Oh, Bryan. What did you do?
Red snapper, I don’t think Bryan did anything. I’ve heard he’s an angel of a human being. Goes out of his way to make peace between people having bitter battles, really caring and kind. I think his comments here are a misguided extension of his peacemaking ways.
Tiffany, I hope you’re right that he is lovely. I don’t know much about him. BUT – can I just say that there have been dozens of men who were thought to be lovely people until it was revealed that they weren’t. Bryans phrasing about forgiveness just seems…. sketchy. Maybe I’m wrong.
People just read the headlines. I know, shocking. Cranston’s words have been twisted so many times in the past that I actually read the article. Did I miss the nuances of his interview? It’s not great but it’s not that maddening, either.
exactly my thought. whether you believe in the justice system as it stands or not, it exactly what we ask murders, predators, abusers, rapists, and all sorts of criminally charged people to do, to go away, accept punishment for their crimes, and then reintegrate back into society. I’m not saying it works, has ever worked or could work, but why do we ask it of those convicted and then deem it totally reprehensible and outside the realm of possibility for others.
That’s how I read it too (disclaimer–I’m pretty indifferent about Cranston; he’s got a one-note anger schtick in his characters that isn’t *that* impressive, much as I liked BB). Emotionally I want W and S to suffer forever and ever and ever. But rationally and philosophically, I believe in rehabilitative rather than *eternally punitive* models of justice, or there’s no motivation for reform. In general. Much as it grates on me to apply it to certain case and individuals, I’m basically for it as a universal approach.
Sounds to me like they’re already circling the wagons around Kevin Spacey.
These are the same people who worship at the altar of Roman Polanski and Woody Allen, so it’s unlikely they’ll allow Spacey to rot in prison for sexually assaulting someone who isn’t even famous.
Even if they can reform, repent, whatever- they do not get to comeback. No no no. They were serial predators.
I loved Breaking Bad, but F* u, Bryan Craston!
Another day, another dissapointing man.
exactly this
I loved him in BB and Malcolm, but I am really unhappy with his comments,
+1
I cannot say I cancel him as I have only seen him in Godzilla, but man… is he aware sexual predators are irredeemable?
Even pope Francis would know that 🤔
Accept them back? No way!
When hell freezes over they will be forgiven. Shut up 🤐 Bryan, what’s wrong with you!!!.
It’s one thing if any of these men’s individual victims want to forgive them. But society? Not so sure about that. They victimized people for decades. And neither one of these men can undo the victim-blaming, victim-shaming, misogyny, and homophobia that their predatory behavior has triggered in society. Neither one of them can undo the cruel way their victims have been treated for coming forward.
For Kevin Spacey, people might eventually be a little more sympathetic and look at forgiveness after he pays for his crimes because of the history of sexual abuse in his family. The way he immediately tried to change the subject and make it about coming out as gay doesn’t scream ‘accountability’ though.
With Harvey Weinstein, it seems pretty clear that he should not be forgiven by society. He seems like a sociopath. There’s the decades of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape, plus his bullying, silencing, and threatening behaviors towards his victims and anyone who would tell on him. And he’s physically assaulted at least one person before.
Yeah I know! Umm no, they are predators who ran rampant for decades and had people help them cover up their abhorrent behavior. These men ruined people’s lives. No, just no.
Does this man have a daughter? Does he know and value any women at all? Sit down and STFU.
Wtf Cranston !? Another day and another actor gets cancelled….I just keep repeating to myself – “What’s wrong with these people?”.
I’m seriously considering binge watching every film I ever loved because we’ll have no one left to like soon!
I feel I have to be very careful commenting in these threads because these acts bring up so much personal pain for women. I sort of get what he’s saying generally. Forgiveness is so powerful. In Australia a woman recently drove into a classroom and killed 2 young kids and one of the parents was so amazing the way he spoke of forgiveness. It’s so powerful to be able to forgive.
But for men like Weinstein and spacey there is just so much they have to do to earn that forgiveness it’s almost too much for their lives. If I was a victim of theirs it would take more years than they have left.
But did she drive into multiple classrooms over decades?
Forgiveness isn’t up to Bryan Cranston. Forgiveness isn’t about saying “It’s okay, you said you’re sorry,, what’s next?” It’s about the victims/survivor making a choice to move on and let it go. Bryan Cranston speaking of forgiveness when it comes to powerful men and sexual assault is like white people forgiving each other for slavery. That’s not your call to make!
And yes, these two in particular don’t have enough years on this earth left to atone for all the things they did, all the lives they destroyed. And do we really think they would anyway? I don’t.
YES. This completely!!! ^^^^^
Agree. I have no idea why forgiveness is even a subject at this point especially when it is discussed by someone who isn’t a victim. He has no vote or opinion that remotely matters one way or the other.
The arrogance of men is staggering sometimes.
I’m sorry and I don’t mean to sound harsh, but did you read what he actually says? You’re all jumping on him and he didn’t said anything about HIM forgiving anyone. The question was if there would be a chance they could come back in Hollywood, and his reply literally included the phrase “it would take a society to forgive them”. Then, when he talks about “it would be up to us to determine…” again he means society. It’s not just the victims prerogative, although of course they should be in the frontline. Many victims forgive their attackers, and society doesn’t. And the other way is also true. They are separate things, and that’s why the justice system doesn’t let the victims decide their victimizers punishments.
The being said, I think Cranston is just trying to be respectful of the whole situation. It wouldn’t be his place either to say “no, they can’t EVER come back!”. He gave the appropriate response for a public persona, but that doesn’t mean that’s his personal choice as a man.
I don’t think it’s up to society, I think it’s up to the victims. Because sadly, society tends to forgive assholes (such as Trump).
@Moon Beam that’s not how our current society works. So because Rihanna forgave Chris Brown for beating her, we should welcome him back? No, right? Are you saying that if all of Harvey’s victims said they forgave him we should all do it too, and Hollywood give him his place back? Crimes are against a victim, of course, but they are also against the society as a whole. Weinstein was in power in part because we as an audience went to see his movies, actors worked along with him, etc. It’s everyone’s business, and by saying that it’s only the victim’s choice then you’re reducing the impact of these sort of offenses.
Thank you.
Mina, I read it, thank you. We simply have a different opinion on this. As a successful man in Hollywood, he shouldn’t be blabbing about forgiveness at all at this point. The entire question isn’t up to him and by bringing it up, he jumps about 20 steps that we haven’t gotten to yet. The enormity of what Weinstein did will make it impossible for some of his victims and many in society (whatever that means) to forgive him. And even if they did, forgiveness does not mean he gets to come back. That’s another thing. Since when does forgiveness automatically entail being welcomed back?
I’m not sure everyone would be comfortable with victims deciding if the assaulter should be forgiven. I just think of Roman Polanski and his victim who wants her situation with Polanski to go away, but it keeps coming up for her and people on here have been dismissive of her feelings to even the point they say she is sick or wrong for feeling that way.
Cranston’s comments by themselves are not particularly bad. He is just talking about redemption and rehabilitation which is a problem whether our society as a whole believes in this. He does talk about punishment and change for the perpetrator and the fact it would take a long time. Yes I do feel some people think there should be no redemption for these people. The problem with his comments is the timing of them, and the lack of any comments about the victims coping. Now he may have said something, and they just put this out who knows. These assaulters and harassers haven’t had any real punishment yet, a lot of the victims are still being ridiculed and questioned, and only than the public shame has happened still not much has changed for either side. Rehabilitation needs to be discussed, but maybe after we figure out how to create an environment where victims feel they can come out and say what happened without ruining their lives.
John Donne: “Forgiveness to the injured doth belong.” Read again, he is talking about rehabilitation of public image (“it’s up to each of us to decide one by one”) rather than forgiveness by the actual victims of Weinstein, Spacey et al.
I have no business forgiving or not because these men did not assault me. I do however want to see them lose their careers,be socially ostracized, and held legally accountable as much as our antiquated laws will allow.
Forgiveness is a choice by an individual victim and one that should neither be lauded nor pressured. The pop psychology of the past few decades to enforce forgiveness has only allowed predators to feel that they can get away with it because victims will be made to feel sorry for them and asked to turn the other cheek.
I’m for justice first, last and always.
You’re right when I thought about it again it’s not public forgiveness that matters at all it’s up to the individuals themselves. And I think that’s what made the one person I referred to so powerful as I couldn’t imagine how I would feel.
I don’t think it’s about comparing the gravity of offences every offence is different. I was referring to how it must have made him feel to be able to forgive.
More: to be truly comprehending of what happened, Cranston would be focused on how these slime balls got away with it and the emotional and professional devastation for the victims. Instead he gives many words to the troubled psyches of abusers. Would he do the same if they weren’t in his line of work? If they were hotel management overlooking assault on the maid staff, or farmworkers assaulting women who are powerless migrants?
I agree.
I notice you say “victim” and not “survivor”. I’ve seen quite a few conversations over the last few weeks in which women victims/survivors are saying that they prefer the former because the latter, although well-intentioned, tends to minimise the perp by focusing attention on how the victim/survivor reacts and copes, instead of on the perp, where the attention belongs.
I don’t have a settled opinion on it, but those conversations have really been making me think.
This is so true. Forgiveness is a powerful thing, but that’s for the victim(s). I believe Bryan Cranston means well, actually-the same way I now believe family members who encouraged me to forgive my attacker meant well. However, it didn’t feel any less tone-deaf or insensitive. It’s a difficult conversation for many to navigate.
Huh, Sixer, astute notice as usual. I often use “survivor” when writing about these issues to separate having been victimized from a person’s later identity…to put the act of victimization int the past where it belongs and credit a person’s survival. And to remind readers that in too many instances, survival was at stake. They could have died.
I guess in this case I wanted to focus on the victims as the people who were victimized being the only ones with the option of forgiveness, not the public at large, who have only the option of acceptance (via buying what they have to sell).
Watp – yes. Context is all, I think.
Forgiveness is not UP to him. Its up to his victims. For me he should not be available to benefit from Hollywood anymore
He’s not forgiving anyone…
So basically the same thing he said about not wanting Trump to fail. Funny how much compassion he has for these “tortured” male souls. Funny how it focuses on a general public level of forgiveness and not that of,youknow, actual specific victims of assault. His fantasy about the ability to change and find redemption is straight out of Harvey Weinstein’s fevered imagination. Men like this need to substitute the concept of murder or even severe beatings for the concept of sexual assault to hear how clueless they sound.
I know just how much people love this guy.
But damnit im calling him out!! Ive seen him act mighty freely with female actors at awards shows.
Creeping up from behind and stuff. Getting mighty touchy and then making it all seem like a drunken joke….
This compassion and forgiveness he speaks of is something he will need soon enough
Is he preparing us to forgive him for something at some point?
I absolutely ADORE him but between his comments about Trump and now this shit? NOPE.
And yeah, call me paranoid but I really am getting a sketchy vibe from him now. Unfair? Maybe, but the rush to defend perverted white males is just too shameless to ignore…
Yes, bangers, that is the impression I’m left with after this latest hot take from Cranston. This was a step too far and he honestly comes across as sympathizing with the criminals over their victims. It’s left me wondering what he’s done himself.
Kitten, I was feeling I was being paranoid as well for the feelings his statement caused in me. That’s why it’s so interesting to read that it’s not just me whose getting those vibes. I hope I’m wrong.
It’s absolute bull.
Men who have committed sexual assault and rape should be prosecuted and, when convicted, should serve jail sentences. Those jails should have rehabilitation programs where the offenders are made to take personal responsibility for their crimes as well as the social responsibility of the jail sentence.
ONLY on release, and providing they have successfully completed the rehabilitation program, can they have ANY grounds for asking to re-embark on their previous professional lives. And even then, ONLY if they are monitored by probation for the agreed period.
And if that makes me a hard liner, Bryan Bloody Useless Cranston, a hard liner I bloody well am.
Having a criminal record would preclude most people from holding the type of job Weinstein had. Except in Hollywood. Doesn’t seem to matter.
Hard liner here too. People separate these crimes from other violent crimes, esp. because the victims are majority women. They see the “sex” and not the violence.
I agree with you, but that’s the problem – jails don’t offer rehabilitation programmes, what with cuts/privatisation (both US and UK). They’re just holding pens…
Sadly rape convictions lead to lesser sentences than robbery with a weapon, look at all the frat boys who rape women and barely serve ant time. Rape needs to be taken more seriously.
I don’t think that’s a hard line at all. It is quite reasonable.
Many states have civil commitment laws for sexual predators (usually repeat pedophiles) They get their criminal sentence, which they must serve but get “civilly committed” on top of that. The civil commitment comes up for review every two years and reviews whether they have participated in treatment, their progress in treatment, age (rates of offense drop with age), support system in the community & likelihood of re-offending. Many end up serving life sentences this way.
The average sentence for rape in the UK is 8 years. Unsure what it is in the US? But the real problem isn’t the sentence length, is it? The problem is getting a conviction in the first place.
My problem with what Cranston is saying is that he is ignoring the fact that these incidents are CRIMES. Nobody would suggest that a burglar should just carry on as normal if he said sorry for stealing the contents of your safe, would they?
Crimes should be prosecuted in courts. That’s what laws are for. Serious crimes should result in jail terms. That’s what jails are for -housing criminals.
As people have said above, individual forgiveness is something else entirely. And not the be-all-and-end-all of the fall-out from sexual assaults and rapes. Which are CRIMES.
@sixer 8 years can be impossed however most people dont serve their full term, most will serve 2/3 and sime will serve 1/3. Also the judge can have discretion to lessen the sentence. Brock Turner was only sentenced to 6 months, the stuebenville rapsits spent one year in jail.
Umyeah – thanks. Here, we have sentence reductions depending on at which point guilt is established. So people who plead guilty immediately will get a sentence reduction. Those who plead not guilty and insist on a full trial, and are convicted, will get the full sentence. Here, the 8 years is an average of all those stages of guilt establishment. But it’s the same here vis a vis parole – eligible for it after half the sentence. Judges have discretion but within sentencing guidelines. Here, for rape, it’s 4-19 years.
This should not be considered a hardline. It’s completely reasonable and basically all that needs to be said on the issue.
Isn’t that a more detailed version of what Bryan said? He left so many conditions in his statements that would be needed for forgiveness.
I think his statement could have made sense if the person had done it only once (maybe — in the case of rape, I think that kind of damage is too much even if done to one person and no more). But Weinstein is at 60 victims and counting. Who knows how many victims Spacey has. I do think people like Weinstein and Spacey are beyond redemption. I also think they may be too old to even know how to stop. I mean, duh, of course they’re going to fail. They’ve done too many crimes to not fail. And is it possible to rehabilitate men who are now in their late 50s and 60s and have had every kind of glory and success tossed their way? The question of rehabilitation probably applies more to a young person of a certain socio-economic class who has their life ahead of them, and may not have the chance at potential glory.
you nailed it. his words are dismissive and ignorant at best, dangerous & insensitive as well
Whose “we” Bryan? You sure as hell aren’t speaking for me.
Most actors shouldn’t talk without a script. And does no one get media training these days?!?!? If I were a publicist I’d have had my clients in extensive briefings for about three weeks now. FFS.
Soon we will hear he “misspoke”. I’m sympathetic to people who clearly misspeak on something. Sometimes the words come out wrong. But unless English is your second language misspeaking does not last for paragraphs and encompass your core idea. Just…sigh…shut up.
I absolutely believe in what he’s saying for like a black kid caught with weed or stealing, but not for grown men who engaged in that aggressive predatory behavior for decades. No amount of therapy fixes that to the point of reintegration.
Exactly!
Exactly!
No they can’t because they don’t think they have done anything wrong. To work with them means working with a predator and a company would now be liable for their behaviour. Forgiveness won’t stop them from doing what they do.
Okay, as someone who is Catholic, it sounds to me like he’s articulating what contrition and forgiveness is supposed to look like. He’s saying they will only find forgiveness if they truly recognize their sickness, hold themselves accountable and proactively seek forgiveness.
I don’t think that will ever happen with Weinstein and Spacey. And nothing short of that kind of deep work should result in forgiveness. But I can’t fault Cranston for holding out hope that the ability to forgive still exists in our society. For decades now, we’ve told people on the margins that we can’t forgive their mistakes and as a society, we’ve lost tremendously because of it.
We tell that to people on the margins because it’s easier to discriminate that way and create a permanent underclass to exploit.
Weinstein and Spacey … not on the margins.
We don’t look at other violent crimes in terms of a sickness in the soul, we only fall into that imagery with violence that also involves sexual assault. America’s religiosity and roots in Puritanical obsessions may have something to do with its outdated approaches and laws, such as the statute of limitations for sexual assault.
Yes I sort of agree that he might(might!) be trying for a larger point about forgiveness and contrition…and as a Christian i agree with this basic premise. We should all hope for recognition of our own wrongdoing, forgiveness, redemption, and ultimately change. However, I think it’s enormously tone deaf to try to make his point using these two serial predators who’ve shown no remorse whatsoever. No one is “hoping they fail”. We are hoping they are held accountable for their egregious sins. And more importantly, even if they somehow managed to change completely, become decent human beings and get the forgiveness of every victim, that doesn’t mean they should be allowed back into the fold as it were. Some crimes are so bad that the consequences of them are never getting back your old life.
There’s a redaction problem up there about the hoping he fails quote. If you look at the actual article, that part is a reminder of what he previously said about Trump.
I think these comments are also in response to his previous statement about Kevin Spacey being done. Maybe he just thought it through and didn’t want to come across as condemning a colleague so definitely.
Every time he opens his mouth, he puts his foot in it..could it be a preemptive strike against something in his closet?
That’s exactly what I got from this. He is laying the groundwork for redemption road after his own raped skeletons flee from the shadows. He really needs to stop addressing this topic as he is bungling it.
This. You called it.
There was a CDAN item that came out after the first time he put his foot in his mouth. Can’t find the link but something about hitting on teens on the set of Malcom In The Middle.
I too am wondering why he feels the need to talk about this. Like, a generic “I had no idea, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims” type statement wasn’t good enough for him? Why not? It’s been good enough for several other famous Hollywood men.
Yep. And I wrote this above before I ever saw these comments.
Yep. Brace yourselves.
Maybe he’s talking about his Hollywood community who knew and quietly looked the other way. Feeling a little guilty there Bryan. What if some old fat rich and powerful mf’er molested your daughter, or Kevin Spacey wanted some quiet time with your son. There are so many more names that will come out now that the dam has broke, forgive and forget? Screw them.
Bryan comes with these scenarios in his head from a place of incredibly white, male privilege. Where the world and society is utopian and injustice isn’t a thing. Just because you coasted all your life doesn’t mean is that easy for the rest of us who didn’t hit the genetic lottery, Bryan. I bet he also thinks if we all “work hard enough” we could be incredibly successful and have many, many opportunities. Just, shut up dude.
No absolutely not. Just no. Weinstein, Spacey, and all the others should not come back. You don’t get to come back after decades of sexual assault.
I know it is too soon to talk about forgiveness because all the wounds are open now, as they ought to be. In my mind, many victims relived their personal stories these days and it’ s about time to think about them and how difficult it is to heal from these experiences. Let ‘s not think about the abusers who caused them harm.
Maybe one day, some victims will forgive, for their own peace of mind, but it’s their own choice and business. Whether the rest of us forgive them does not really matter in the sense that we haven’t been through what the victims have, we only hear their stories and form an opinion.
Geeze. All the scum seems to be rising to the surface.
White males seem to have this UNENDING compassion for other white males. Its amazing how they can think of them and not their victims, their victims’ livelihoods or their mental well being. Amazing
ITA. When will we hear someone like Cranston talk about Weinstein and Spacey not only serving time, but they should be made to set up a large fund that their victims can draw upon for therapy. It has been obvious that the pain is very fresh for them, and they need help. As for Weinstein and Spacey they belong in jail.
He is really starting at the wrong end. Before anybody starts to talk about forgiveness and comeback, how about talking about jailtime, a lot of real therapy (not the Kind of therapy in a luxury Resort in Arizona), a beliveable admission of guilt and asking for forgiveness from the victims?
Then, in 20 years maybe, his statement would be acceptable.
No. Just no. Enough is enough.
You don’t have to agree with him, but is it really so bad that someone wants to believe in forgiveness and redemption (under the right circumstances)? I think one of the problems with cases like Weinstein’s is that he’ll likely never go to jail for it, so that justice won’t be served. But let’s say he did go to jail. Would we be able to open the door for him again after? I wouldn’t, but some people want to be bigger than that and I can appreciate that.
If Cranston wants to talk about forgiveness, then he should do so from his own experiences rather than elbowing his way into other people’s pain. He must have personal experiences that deal with some form of being hurt and having to learn how to get past it or where he behaved inappropriately and had to check himself. It would be different if he was speaking from a place of personal pain and struggle. There would be depth and power to his words.
When it comes to his thoughts on Weinstein and Spacey, I think he wants to tie things up in a neat bow for his own peace of mind.
Yes why is this so hard to understand? The issue isn’t so much that he’s promoting the idea of forgiveness, but rather the fact that he is promoting forgiveness in THIS SPECIFIC situation, one that as a white privileged male he (presumably) has no experience with.
He didn’t talk about his forgiveness of Weinstein though. He was asked if they could come back and he said it would take society to forgive them (among other things). He didn’t include himself personally in his response.
He’s part of society though, Mina—we all are. Just because he’s not using the words *I* doesn’t mean that he’s magically excluded from his statement.
Saying that it would take “society forgiving them” lends credence to the idea that these men can be forgiven and absolved by ALL of us, including Cranston. People here are making the point that it’s not up to Cranston or me or you or anyone BUT the victim to decide if they want to forgive their abusers.
So while he may have well-meaning intentions, merely floating the idea that these men could be “forgiven” by our society takes the power out of the hands of the victim. A patriarchal society forgiving men’s disgusting misdeeds doesn’t do much to help anyone except the accused, but if it provided closure for the victims then you could make an argument that it may be worth something to her, at least.
Because the bottom line is that unless Cranston himself is a victim, he’s not really qualified to speak about forgiveness.
Yes he’s certainly entitled to his opinion but likewise those of us who are simply exhausted from witnessing men forgiving men for crimes that are most often committed against women have a right to push back on his statement.
Clearly the guy has a philosophy and he’s applying it to the Weinstein case and other’s like it. It comes off sanctimonious and removed from the situation. In theory it’s a nice idea and it’s one that society tends to adhere to, as someone mentioned above… criminal reform. We don’t just cast people away or throw their bodies in a giant pit of executed offenders any more. I don’t think this makes Cranston a bad guy but it does illustrate how philosophy, religion, personal opinion and all that often miss the mark.
I think it’s likely this – coupled with him coming from a place of privileged. He’s a white dude with a lot of money who’s always worked. He’s had a pretty great career overall – and is a well liked, household name. I think there’s a lot of comfort that comes along with that. He’s never had the kind of horrible things happen to him so he can’t fathom how much damage has been done by this. And he probably thinks that because he never (to my knowledge) has done anything like what these men do – and can’t imagine his close friends doing it – still can separate it as outliers – not a giant issue that’s impacting so many people. He likely sees these guys as the exception despite the growing list of accusations and predators.
In theory – his ideas aren’t bad. But they shouldn’t be applied to this situation. Especially not while everything is so fresh. The problem is the philosophy behind it all can be sensible from an abstract standpoint – but it doesn’t work when applied to all cases, and it definitely isn’t something that should be spouted off this soon after so many emotional pleas and accusations have been made. It’s not as simple as a practically victim-less crime – this is a widespread, emotionally charged crime where so many victims have been ignored.
Even with the amount of privilege he’s had, I don’t get his stance in this case.
Lovely. Well put @Erinn. You expanded exactly the way I was thinking.
Talking about theoretical philosophies out of context makes more sense at the dinner table in the privacy of one’s home. I don’t think it makes much sense doing so in the media, when the people he’s applying it to don’t seem to fit under the criteria he’s talking about.
I don’t get how Weinstein or Spacey could be rehabilitated (their crimes are so freaking long! I don’t think they can stop. And they’re both kind of old.)
All the talk of forgiveness asks survivors to go first, often without any acknowledgemention by or apology from the aggressor. In my view it is damaging and circumvents the concept of justice. It burdens the victim and lets their assailant off the hook.
Well Mel Gibson is back in movies and how much work at forgiveness did he ever do? Currently both Spacey and Weinstein are hanging out in a spa to deal with their issues so I really doubt they are doing anything but riding low until they can reappear. I see Spacey coming back within five years. I bet he comes out saying he was abused by his father (which to be fair his brother seems to say happened ) and thats why he did it to others.
That said… Bryan Cranston please take all the seats. Forgiveness should only be considered once there has been repentance and it is way way way too early for that. Spacey and Weinstein are only sorry they got caught right now.
Mel Gibson was shut out for 10 years. He’s an alcoholic who’d fallen off the wagon and did a lot of stupid things during that time, as addicts do. He was rightly punished for it. He got clean (we assume) and hasn’t been involved in any other incidents since then (as far as I know). He has inner support in Hollywood because he’s personally helped a lot of people with their own addictions, including Robert Downey Jr. I think he deserved another shot and he only got it through making a very good movie, but still is pretty much out of the public light. I don’t think comparing him to what Weinstein was doing is fair.
As many have said, it’s entirely up to the victims to decide whether or not they want to forgive. If I were a victim of these bastards I can honestly say I would never forgive and that I wouldn’t rest until I had their balls on a platter. Some behaviour is just unforgivable, decades of abuse of power, sexual assault and let’s not forget the careers and lives stymied and ruined along the way. Bryan Cranston needs to STFU.
Maybe one day, Bryan Cranston can be forgiven for saying such bumblef*ck stupid things.
Maybe, one day. For now, he can **** right off.
Stfu and sit down. Until you start speaking for victims you’re pointless.
There is no doubt they do not deserve to come back but lets all remember that Mel Gibson (serial abuser, anti-semite) was nominated for an Oscar last year and is in a top box office movie right now essentially playing a mysoginist creep, Oldman (abuser anti-semite) is campaigning for an Oscar, Woody is nominated time and again and Polanski…well we know.
Call me cynical but these guys could easily come back in the corrupt bullshit world that is showbiz, just watch, they will also have full on campaigns to ruin the careers of the women who have come forward, just watch including Gadot and Chastian etc. These women have not been in the business very long, it is sick, but they can easily be thrown away, Hollywood is notorious for it.
Bryan, I don’t want to cancel you. Do better or eff off for a bit.
Oh Hal (never watched BB, I know him as the dad on Malcolm ) How many minutes until you’re ousted as a McFeely?
I’m with those who think he’s prepping for HIS ugly shit to come out.
Bryan can take SEVERAL seats and STFU.
Bryan Cranston can go have a seat at Susan Sarandon’s table.
It will be filling up with self important trash people.
I do not understand why Mel Gibson is back in the fold.
Cranston is being too nice and decent for his own good. If something like this had happened to him or one of his loved ones, it would be harder to maintain this charitable view.
Bryan Cranston. . . I usually adore you but you seriously need to shut it. It’s not your place to use your infinite wisdom to educate the rest of us about how these abusers can be forgiven. Please stop. These men had everything on a silver platter but they chose on countless occasions to abuse others. The many victims of these men are the only ones who get to decide when, how and IF they want to forgive. Not you or anyone else. I don’t want to have to remove you from my list of all time favorite actors. . . but I will if you don’t take a seat pretty soon.
I used to love BC but these days with his you have to accept Trump views and now this I am starting to not look at him the same way. 🙁
I don’t think he is being nice or decent at all. I think he sounds aggressive and I think he is just showing his ignorance about sexual assault and rape. Being a rapist or serial assaulter is not a character defect, but a the act of a criminal mind. In no way can it be compared to drunk driving. It is not a lapse of judgement or giving in to addiction. Weinstein and Spacey et al knew what they were doing and enjoyed it. And by all accounts were despicable people in other areas of their lives. I really wish people would stop looking up to actors because they are talented or because they like the productions they have been in. No matter how many interviews you read, you will NEVER know the person they truly are. That includes Bryan Cranston. He could be a nice man or not. Nice or talented doesn’t make him smart and doesn’t make him understand rape and sexual assault. I know and have known a lot of very famous people quite well. Their true character is rarely if ever exposed, simply because we cannot know what people are really like from interviews or public appearances. And most of those I have met have huge and yet fragile egos that require constant attention. This includes the “nice guys”. They say stupid stuff, too. This is stupid. Let’s be clear—people who commit rape and sexual assault are criminals. If this were a black man who raped his daughter instead of Weinsten who raped McGowan, Argento et al, I doubt he would be talking about forgiveness. In his words–“F*ck you” Cranston. Shut up and enjoy the laurels for your mediocre performances (I still think Breaking Bad was great but because of script and production values–Cranston is mediocre and one note as WW). We don’t need any more mansplainers in our universe.
I don’t believe that there’s any successful rehabilitation for serial sex offenders.
Their compulsions are too strong and eventually overwhelm any semblance of conscience that they may have once had.
He’s so critical of these recently emerging sex thugs but when it came to Trump (also one!) he was like ‘ya all need to not want him to fail”. Sit down Bryan.
Ah Bryan Cranston stop disappointing me. If people are on the fence about this (and they really shouldn’t because there is only one side you pick), they should think about this scenario “if someone did this to your son/daugher, would be so open to forgive and forget?” I bet you 99% of the time the answer is hell no.
When the Catholic priest scandal erupted years ago, people were up in arms about the numerous cases of abuse. Just because these morons are celebrities doesn’t mean they get a pass.
I don’t think it’s possible to forgive serial rapists. We’re not talking here about a Law and Order episode where some confused 17 year old didn’t understand what the girl was communicating to him through body language.
Given the public’s former record of forgiving and venerating famous, white criminals, I can see why he’d think this way. Woody Allen got the green light to make a movie that features an underage romance and people are going to see it. He’s “forgiven” in that sense, that people are willing to look past his crimes and separate the art from the artist when his work doesn’t even do that. He puts things in plain sight and people still throw their money at it.
Maybe you should just say famous and not add white to it. Unless you’re forgetting about OJ Simpson, Bill Cosby, Mike Tyson, Jay-Z, Will Smith, Snoop Dog, Venus Williams, Don King, Huddie Ledbetter, etc etc, a lot of people who got away with crimes. I think race definitely plays a factor when it comes to normal people, but celebrities are just celebrities. Most people “forgive” them (or maybe they just don’t care) because they don’t want to cut their ties with their admiration.
I think forgiveness is crucial to one’s healing. It’s freedom!
It’s freedom for the perpetrator, that’s for sure.
Personally, I disagree that forgiveness is freedom. It is up to the survivor, but not everyone feels the same way. And let us not forget: these men committed CRIMES. So ultimately, society recognizes through criminal prosecution that even if a survivor wants to forgive–society is best served when that criminal is forced to pay a price. Myself, I have forgiven those who “know not what they do”–but Weinsten et al are perpetrators of heinous sexual violence that forever changed the survivors’ view of the world and relationships.I have forgiven my parents for the mistakes they made that had some sad consequences, but I know now they did they best they could. I have not forgiven criminal sexual perpetrators in my life, and never will. My freedom comes fromnot forgiving those with evil intent, who would gladly perpetrate again if they could, recognizing my self-worth, fighting back against evil-doers with strength and defiance, and making sure they don’t perpetrate their evil acts on others, And telling the truth so others won’t suffer in the same way. Forgiveness sometimes enables, and in this case, in my opinion, that would be so.
As a victim/survivor I can only speak for myself. It helped me after years of feeling like an outsider with a dirty secret. When things like this happen I ask myself what happened to these men that they would do this to someone? Perhaps for some its just a power trip. For others it might be a re-enactment of something that happened to them. Either way my anger towards the man who violated me is gone and it makes me feel better.
Agree Wicki- As a survivor myself, the whole “forgivenees is freeing” concept pisses me the hell off. I have moved on and have a great life now but my progress has zero to do with forgiving my rapist. I don’t lose a minute of sleep on him either.
I think you’re right Joannie. Many people confuse the meaning of forgiveness. Like Elizabeth Smart said once, she forgave her captors and rapist and that means she stopped thinking about them and wishing they would rot in hell. She just let it go for her own sanity and to move on with her life. Doesn’t mean she’d become friends with them.
Exactly!
Let’s leave it open for the few who can make it through that gauntlet of trouble ” Gauntlet of trouble? Ifs that Hwood speak for rape? What an ass. Has he heard some of the harrowing stories?
Cranston must be on drugs.
I honestly think you’re all blowing his comments way out of proportion. Just a few days ago, he said Kevin Spacey wasn’t a very good person and his career was probably over. Now he said that for them to come back, it would take a lot of work and society, which obviously includes their victims, to forgive them. Never said they should be forgiven or that they deserve another chance. He just said there shouldn’t be such a categorical no right away because who knows if these people by some miracle manage to redeem themselves in the future (which I think everyone knows it won’t happen but saying let’s leave ourselves open to see is not that terrible). He’s been very categorical about his rejection of their actions, if you bother to look back to some other quotes.
The problem is that people want celebrities to speak up about everything, criticize them if they stay quiet but then when they give a fairly balanced opinion everyone jumps from their moral high horse to reject what they said. I haven’t seen him excusing Spacey or Weinstein, everyone seems to eager to “cancel” people from just a few quotes online.
He might be right, maybe they will be forgiven, bill Clinton was for far worse and lying about it too!
I think he’s truly the type of person that genuinely believes that all people have good in them. His hope is probably to find that good. I do not think he meant this is any negative way.
“Then it would be up to us to determine, case by case, whether or not this person deserves a second chance.”
By “up to us,” I take it Cranston means himself and other Hollywood power players, whose yet unscathed reputations should somehow grant them the moral authority to arbitrate who and what behavior is forgivable or unforgivable. Following whatever penalties the law imposes on these abusers, the decision to forgive or not forgive these men and to potentially encourage or discourage their re-integration to Hollywood, essentially inviting them back into positions in which they may well again do harm to other innocents, should rest entirely with the survivors who continue to work in the industry. To say “Let’s be bigger than that” sounds a lot like “Get over it” — the remark is obtuse and insensitive to the fact that some of these survivors could be living in fear of the very mention of these men’s names let alone the prospect of a repeat encounter with them.
Cranston should focus on what Hollywood can do to help get the victims the resources they need to rehabilitate rather than pontificating on the rehabilitation of the abusers.
Your take is wrong, he means society, made clear by the first part of his statement that you conveniently ignored.
Isn’t one of the major points about HW is that he is being accused of actively blacklisting women who told him no? And everyone else in the industry who had varying levels of power bowed down to his so-called “power” which they themselves collectively constituted by following his demands?
Making this about forgiveness or banishment is a whole load of BS. This is a discussion about complicity and people owning up to their participation in all levels of power and privilege. One of the functions of privilege is that it operates through exclusively held information, in HW’s case, people who held the knowledge of what went on behind closed doors and chose to share or exclude others from that knowledge.
BC is a either a self important entitled fool or a downright troll to even think he has a right to set the terms of this public discussion. But until people can have a real discussion about how power works and admit their function within this system in which these types of people thrive, I’m happy never watch anything with him in it again.
What Bryan is saying here comes from a Christlike place of seeing the best in people, and offering forgiveness to those who truly repent. In principle, I agree with him… But. There is a Very Big “IF” embedded in his message. And it’s just so unlikely. Yes, all abusers have the possibility, the potential to realize how f-ed up they are, to seek help for their problems and feel sincere regret about all the damage they’ve done. It’s just so remote, the chance that they will ever get to that place, and realize any of it. The likelihood is pretty much nil. Zilch. Zero. IMHO. So why is BC even bothering to mention it? Moot point.