10 Best Modern Character Actors

By Paul Sorrells /

3. Bryan Cranston

A veteran of television, where he first gained notoriety for playing Dr. Whatley in Seinfeld, Cranston has also established himself as a successful character actor in recent years. He had a minor role in Saving Private Ryan as well as Little Miss Sunshine, but it wasn't until later in the decade that he became a major actor. He became a household name with his leading role in AMC's Breaking Bad but also starred in a series of successful films including Contagion and The Lincoln Lawyer. His best roles so far came in 2011's Drive, where he plays the owner of a repair shop, and 2012 where he played one of the head CIA agent in Argo. With his time in Breaking Bad coming to an end soon, Cranston will hopefully have more time to devote to films, which is definitely a good thing for movie fans.