Bryan Cranston says starring in a Wes Anderson film is like being an instrument

Bryan Cranston has likened starring in a Wes Anderson film to being an instrument in an orchestra.

The 67-year-old actor features in the all-star ensemble cast of Anderson’s new movie Asteroid City and compared the eccentric director to a conductor of music.

Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, Bryan said: ‘It feels like Wes Anderson is a conductor of an orchestra. And all of us are players of our particular instrument.

‘We hyper focus on our instrument and just present it without really knowing exactly how it’s all going to piece together. 

‘And he conducts – a little less Bryan, a little more Scarlett (Johansson) at this moment, or whatever, making the adjustments as he goes.’

Conductor: The 67-year-old actor features in the all-star ensemble cast of Anderson’s new movie Asteroid City and compared the eccentric director to a conductor of music

Orchestra: Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, Bryan said: ‘It feels like Wes Anderson is a conductor of an orchestra. And all of us are players of our particular instrument

Cranston plays the role of a television host in the 1950s-set movie and the star described it as Anderson’s ‘love letter to performance art’ as it features both stage and screen mediums.

The Breaking Bad star said: ‘It’s a movie about a television show doing a story on a theatre. 

‘And I think it’s Wes’ love letter to performance art. He’s wrapped his arms around the three major mediums we are involved in.’

Frequent Anderson collaborator Jason Schwartzman stars in Asteroid City as Augie Steenbeck, a recently widowed war photographer, and credited the Isle of Dogs filmmaker’s curiosity for his career success.

The star – who has starred in eight of Anderson’s movies – recalled: ‘I was 17 when we met (on Rushmore) and he was the first person that wasn’t in my family that was over the age of 20 that actually asked a question and cared what I said and was curious about what I was interested in.

‘My feeling is that’s why we’re all here. Because (Wes) wants to know about all of us and he’s curious and he always sees things in us we do not see,’ he added.

Scarlett Johansson, who plays 1950s movie star Midge Campbell in the film, reflected on Anderson’s unique way of working, during the press conference in Cannes.

She compared Anderson’s style to a theater production.

New film: A still from the image shows Jason Schwartzman, left, and Tom Hanks, right

Theater: Scarlett Johansson, who plays 1950s movie star Midge Campbell in the film, reflected on Anderson’s unique way of working, during the press conference in Cannes, comparing Anderson’s style to a theater production

Experience: Cranston plays the role of a television host in the 1950s-set movie and the star described it as Anderson’s ‘love letter to performance art’ as it features both stage and screen mediums

Frequent collaborator: Frequent Anderson collaborator Jason Schwartzman said ‘My feeling is that’s why we’re all here. Because (Wes) wants to know about all of us and he’s curious and he always sees things in us we do not see,’ he added

Performance art: The ‘Breaking Bad’ star said: ‘It’s a movie about a television show doing a story on a theatre

Love letter: ‘And I think it’s Wes’ love letter to performance art. He’s wrapped his arms around the three major mediums we are involved in’

‘It is not the familiar process of being on a soundstage and going to your trailer and have all this downtime, which eats up the momentum,’ Johansson said. 

‘It feels very vibrant much like you are working in theater.’ 

The film also stars Tom Hanks, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Maya Hawke, Margot Robbie, Steve Carrell, Matt Dillon, Tilda Swinton, Steve Park, Rita Wilson, Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum.

The film is being distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures. It hits theaters on June 23.