Latest news with #PaddyChayefskyLaurelAward
The Independent
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Breaking Bad creator calls for more TV heroes: ‘Real-life bad guys are running amok'
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has called for more inspiring and heroic characters to be portrayed on television, saying: 'We are living in an era where bad guys, the real life kind, are running amok.' The 58-year-old screenwriter, who also created Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, spoke after accepting the highest prize at last night's Writer's Guild Awards, the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement. Variety reports that Gilligan announced early in his speech that he'd decided to 'go political.' He continued: 'Obviously, I'm here because of Breaking Bad and Walter White. I'm proud of that character, and I'm proud of that show... 'Walter White [...] he's one of the all time great bad guys. But all things being equal, I think I'd rather be celebrated for creating someone a bit more inspiring. In 2025 it's time to say that out loud, because we are living in an era where bad guys, the real life kind, are running amok. 'Bad guys who make their own rules, bad guys who, no matter what they tell you, are really out for themselves. Who am I talking about? Well, this is Hollywood, so guess. 'But here's the weird irony. In our profoundly divided country, everybody seems to agree on one thing. There are too many real life bad guys. It's just that we're living in different realities. There's no simple answer for how we might change that. Though, if it were, I bet it would have something to do with climbing up out of the cess pool of social media and actually listening to each other.' Gilligan went on to urge his fellow screenwriters to 'write more good guys.' Citing various examples of film and television anti-heroes, Gilligan said: 'For decades, we made the villains too sexy. I really think that. When we create characters as indelible as Michael Corleone or Hannibal Lecter or Darth Vader or Tony Soprano, viewers everywhere, all around the world, they pay attention. They say, 'Man, those dudes are badass. I want to be that cool.' 'When that happens, fictional bad guys stop being the cautionary player that they were created to be. God help us, they become aspirational. So maybe what the world needs now are some good, old fashioned, Greatest Generation types who give more than they take. Who think that kindness, tolerance and sacrifice aren't strictly for chumps.' Gilligan cited the example of the firefighters who tackled the recent devastating Los Angeles fires as good guys worth venerating. 'I look at the men and women who risked their lives putting out the recent fires in Southern California,' he said. 'Or the ones who gave so much of themselves feeding and sheltering the victims of those fires. Wasn't it nice hearing about actual heroes for a change?'
USA Today
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'Breaking Bad' creator fears Hollywood has glamorized bad guys: 'They become aspirational'
'Breaking Bad' creator fears Hollywood has glamorized bad guys: 'They become aspirational' Show Caption Hide Caption 'Breaking Bad' actor Bryan Cranston slams Disney, Bob Iger over AI "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston directed a speech at Disney CEO Bob Iger calling for understanding during the SAG-AFTRA strike. Damien Henderson, Storyful Vince Gilligan wants Hollywood to take a break from bad guys. At the Writers Guild of America Awards on Saturday, the "Breaking Bad" creator expressed concern about films and TV shows glamorizing evil characters like his show's protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston). "For decades, we've made the villains too sexy," Gilligan said. "When we create characters as indelible as Michael Corleone or Hannibal Lecter or Darth Vader or Tony Soprano, viewers everywhere pay attention. They say, 'Man, those dudes are badass! I want to be that cool.' "When that happens, fictional bad guys stop being the cautionary tales that they were intended to be. God help us, they become aspirational." Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox. Gilligan was honored at the ceremony with the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for achievement in television writing, and he noted he was there "because of 'Breaking Bad' and Walter White." But though he is "proud" of the character, a cancer-stricken teacher who begins making meth to provide for his family, Gilligan said he would "rather be celebrated for creating someone a bit more inspiring" − especially in today's environment. "In 2025, it's time to say that out loud, because we are living in an era where bad guys, the real-life kind, are running amok," he said. "Bad guys who make their own rules. Bad guys who, no matter what they tell you, are only out for themselves." Though Gilligan did not specify who he sees as today's real-life bad guys, he quipped, "Who am I talking about? Well, this is Hollywood, so guess." 'Breaking Bad' home is up for sale: The Albuquerque residence has an asking price of $4 million The Emmy winner implored the room full of television and film writers to "write more good guys," suggesting that characters like George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" and Andy Taylor from "The Andy Griffith Show" "made our country a little bit better during some other tough times in our history." "If I had created them, I'd be proud, indeed," he added. After "Breaking Bad" ended in 2013, Gilligan co-created the spinoff "Better Call Saul," which followed lawyer Jimmy McGill's (Bob Odenkirk) descent into the corrupt Saul Goodman. His next show for Apple TV+ is set to star "Better Call Saul" alum Rhea Seehorn − and he noted at the WGAs that she plays "a good guy." 'El Camino': 'Breaking Bad' creator explains how that major character returned Saturday's ceremony also posthumously honored director David Lynch with the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement, which was presented by "Twin Peaks" star Kyle MacLachlan. "My heart breaks that he's gone, but the world is so much fuller because he was here," the actor said. "Anora" remained an Oscar best-picture frontrunner as it won best original screenplay at Saturday's awards show, while "Nickel Boys" picked up best adapted screenplay.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vince Gilligan Calls for Writers to Cut Back on Villain Stories Amid Current Political Climate: 'They've Become Aspirational'
While accepting a special honor at the Writers Guild Awards on Saturday night, Vince Gilligan warned the crowd that he was going to 'go political' before calling on Hollywood to give more attention to good guys than the villains. Presented with the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement at the Los Angeles ceremony, Gilligan acknowledged he was being honored because of Breaking Bad and writing 'one of the all-time great bad guys' in Walter White. More from The Hollywood Reporter 2025 Writers Guild Awards: Winners List Hollywood Flashback: When a Spanish-Language Song First Won at the Academy Awards What Were Bob Dylan and Joan Baez Like in Bed? Ask James Mangold 'But all things being equal, I think I'd rather be celebrated for creating someone a bit more inspiring. In 2025, it's time to say that out loud, because we are living in an era where bad guys, the real-life kind, are running amuck,' he said from the stage at the Beverly Hilton. 'Bad guys who make their own rules, bad guys who no matter what they tell you, are only out for themselves. Who am I talking about? Well this is Hollywood, so guess. But here's the weird irony, in our profoundly divided country, everybody seems to agree on one thing: there are too many real-life bad guys, it's just we're living in different realities so we've all got different lists.' Gilligan added that while he didn't know the solution to that, 'As a writer, speaking to a room full of writers, I have a proposal; it certainly won't fix everything but I think it's a start. I say we write more good guys,' to big applause from the crowd. 'For decades we made the villains too sexy,' with Darth Vader and Hannibal Lecter as examples, and 'viewers everywhere, all around the world, pay attention. They say here's this badass, I want to be that cool. When that happens, fictional bad guys stop being the precautionary tales they were intended to be. God help us, they've become aspirational.' 'Maybe what the world needs now are some good, old-fashioned, greatest generation types who give more than they take,' Gilligan continued, musing how nice it was to hear about heroes and acts of kindness during the recent L.A. wildfires. Though he advised writers to keep focusing on what they believe in and what excites them, he asked scribes to 'give this some thought. Made-up bad guys are fun and they're easier to write well, but maybe we could use a few more George Baileys and Andy Taylors. I think characters like that make our country a little bit better during some other tough times in our history; if I created them, I'd be proud, indeed.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'Yellowstone' and the Sprawling Dutton Family Tree, Explained A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise What the 'House of the Dragon' Cast Starred in Before the 'Game of Thrones' Spinoff
