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<em>Trumbo</em>'s Bryan Cranston: How Blacklisted Screenwriter Could Be Both a Communist and Patriot

Despite the fact that much of Trumbo's work was plainly patriotic, his brief association with the American Communist Party prompted years of persecution. In the clip below, Cranston justifies how a person like Trumbo could simultaneously be both a communist and a patriot.
Tavis Smiley
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PBS talk show host, PRI radio host, NYT bestselling author

PBS talk show host, PRI radio host, NYT bestselling author
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After enduring a number of lean years as a working actor, Bryan Cranston's commitment to his craft has certainly paid off. His Emmy and Golden Globe-winning run on the mega-hit show Breaking Bad, along with his Tony-winning portrayal of LBJ in the Broadway play All the Way, have solidified him as one of the most respected stars of the screen and stage. He is now garnering Oscar buzz for his performance in the new film Trumbo, which tells the story of acclaimed Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who was infamously blacklisted during the Cold War.

Despite the fact that much of Trumbo's work was plainly patriotic, his brief association with the American Communist Party prompted years of persecution. In the clip below, Cranston justifies how a person like Trumbo could simultaneously be both a communist and a patriot.

For more of our conversation, be sure to tune in to Tavis Smiley on PBS. Check our website for your local TV listings: www.pbs.org/tavis.

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