Recently, The New York Times made a list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, and Breaking Bad topped the rankings. And it is no surprise, despite the stiff competition from other great shows like The Wire, Mad Men, Succession, and Game of Thrones. The story that Vince Gilligan wove throughout five brilliant seasons was mind-boggling. 

However, what really made the show so iconic was the character of Walter White - a chemistry teacher turned crystal m*** cook - played by the very talented Bryan Cranston. But a rumor had long lurked in the alleys of Hollywood that before Cranston, John Cusack was offered the role.

Now, John Cusack has finally set the record straight on the long-standing Breaking Bad casting rumors.

Actor John Cusack has finally put to rest a persistent Hollywood rumor suggesting he was once offered the legendary role of Walter White in Breaking Bad. Speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Cusack addressed the long-standing claim that he turned down the part that ultimately went to Bryan Cranston.

Expressing initial confusion over whether the offer had actually occurred, Cusack admitted he even questioned if he had somehow "lost time" or completely forgotten about it. To get to the bottom of the mystery, the actor took the opportunity to ask series creator Vince Gilligan directly when they crossed paths in New York, confronting him to find out if the widespread industry story held any truth.

“He was like, ‘No.’ I was like, ‘Thank you, Vince!” said Cusack.

Addressing whether he feels any regret over the persistent Hollywood lore in the same Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Cusack dismissed the notion entirely, emphasizing that he could never harbor second thoughts given Cranston's iconic performance. He asserted that the part simply belonged to Cranston from the start, making it impossible to imagine anyone else bringing Walter White to life. 

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Bryan Cranston nailed the role of a simple chemistry teacher who embarks on a perilous path of d*** manufacturing and, in the process, ends up losing everything, including himself.

The narrative of Breaking Bad follows Walter White, a high school chemistry instructor who, upon receiving a terminal lung cancer diagnosis, joins forces with former pupil Jesse Pinkman - portrayed by Aaron Paul - to manufacture and distribute narcotics in order to secure his family's financial future. But somehow, along the line, this side hustle, which he started for a noble reason, becomes the reason for the destruction of everything he worked hard to build. 

Bryan Cranston's critically acclaimed portrayal earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards, while the landmark series amassed 16 Emmy victories from 58 total nominations across its five-season run. Widely celebrated by both audiences and critics, the show, which recently had a special one day only theater feature, maintains stellar critical standing, boasting a 96% Tomatometer rating and a 97% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Did you know about the casting rumor involving John Cusack? Do let us know in the comments.