Off the Cuff: Bryan Cranston Previews the Final Season of 'Breaking Bad'

Off the Cuff: Bryan Cranston Previews the Final Season of 'Breaking Bad''Walter White has expanded beyond the cavity of his chest, so he's bursting out of his skin with pride,' the series' star tells Peter Travers $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

In the first part of the latest "Off the Cuff with Peter Travers," Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston breaks down the final season of the hit AMC show, why it's split in two and his feelings on the series' end.

"They came to the number 16 [episodes] because Vince Gilligan, the creator of the show, thought, 'That seems about right,' to be able to have the time to wrap it up and to end on his own merit, in his own way," says Cranston. "But then AMC wanted to split that up and actually, Vince wanted to split that up too, so that he had time to focus on the first eight [episodes] in season five and be able to go through it and have time to edit, have time to put that away and do the final mix and do it all, and then take a couple weeks off for a break, and then assembling the writers again in August."

"I would rather end this show in a respectful way and hopefully end it before its time," adds Cranston. "You don't want that asterisk next to the title of your series saying, 'Breaking Bad, six good seasons, three kind of mediocre ones and one clearly crappy one – and season eleven was like, 'ugh.''"

But the final season looks to be quite dark. "Walter White has expanded beyond the cavity of his chest, so he's bursting out of his skin with pride," says Cranston. "Although pride goeth before the fall."

The first half of the final season of Breaking Bad premieres on July 15th on AMC.

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'Breaking Bad' Final Season Split in Two

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in 'Breaking Bad'

The final season of Breaking Bad will air in two eight-episode chunks, Entertainment Weekly reports. "We’re splitting it," says series star Bryan Cranston, who was interviewed from the set of the show's fifth season premiere in New Mexico. "We're going to shoot the first eight, then take a four-month production break, then the rest will air next year."

AMC has not formally announced this plan, though a representative for Sony Pictures TV has confirmed that this is "one scenario" being considered by the network. According to actors on the set, Breaking Bad is scheduled to return to the air in July. If the final season is indeed split into two sections, the second half may be held until the following summer.

Other major cable dramas have had their final seasons extended and split into two halves. The sixth season of The Sopranos began with a 12-episode run in the spring of 2006 and wrapped up with nine more episodes the following year. There was a three-month break in the middle of Sex and the City's final season, splitting the run between 2003 and 2004.

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Whitney Houston's Final Autopsy Report: Cocaine Found in Singer's Room

Whitney Houston performs at the American Music Awards.Kevin Winter/AMA2009/Getty Images for DCP

Cocaine and related paraphernalia were discovered in the Beverly Hills Hotel room where Whitney Houston died, the singer's final autopsy report has revealed. 

According to the 42-page report, detectives found a "small spoon with a white crystal-like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper" on the bathroom counter. They also found cocaine on a portable mirror that was stashed in a drawer in the hotel room. 

An initial coroner's report released two weeks ago concluded that Houston's official cause of death was accidental drowning, although cocaine use and a heart condition were listed as contributing causes. Measurable amounts of marijuana, Benadryl, Xanex and Flexeril were found in the singer's system, but they were not considered contributing factors in her death.

Houston, who had a long history of drug use, died on February 11th just one day prior to the Grammy Awards. An assistant left her alone in her hotel room for less than an hour while she shopped for items for Houston's scheduled appearance at a pre-Grammy party later that night. When she returned, she found Houston's limp body in the bathtub with her face down in the water.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Whitney Houston's Final Autopsy Report: Cocaine Found in Singer's Room

Whitney Houston performs at the American Music Awards.Kevin Winter/AMA2009/Getty Images for DCP

Cocaine and related paraphernalia were discovered in the Beverly Hills Hotel room where Whitney Houston died, the singer's final autopsy report has revealed. 

According to the 42-page report, detectives found a "small spoon with a white crystal-like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper" on the bathroom counter. They also found cocaine on a portable mirror that was stashed in a drawer in the hotel room. 

An initial coroner's report released two weeks ago concluded that Houston's official cause of death was accidental drowning, although cocaine use and a heart condition were listed as contributing causes. Measurable amounts of marijuana, Benadryl, Xanex and Flexeril were found in the singer's system, but they were not considered contributing factors in her death.

Houston, who had a long history of drug use, died on February 11th just one day prior to the Grammy Awards. An assistant left her alone in her hotel room for less than an hour while she shopped for items for Houston's scheduled appearance at a pre-Grammy party later that night. When she returned, she found Houston's limp body in the bathtub with her face down in the water.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Whitney Houston's Final Film: 'Sparkle' Trailer Released

Whitney Houston's Final Film: 'Sparkle' Trailer Released | Music News | Rolling Stone New IssueArchivesWelcomeAccount SettingsLogoutLog In To RS All AccessNot a member? Click here.Rolling Stone Skip to the content. Music Politics Movies Reviews Artist BlogsPhotos Videos Subscribe Now facebooktwitterRSSMore:Matt Taibbi•Peter Travers•Random Notes•RS Live•Charts•RS on Spotify•SXSW 2012 Coverage•My Favorite Concert Matt TaibbiPeter TraversDavid FrickeRob SheffieldRS Politics DailyTech BlogFashion BlogRS Playlistmore Blogs »AlbumsSongsMovies Whitney Houston's Final Film: 'Sparkle' Trailer Released Movie set for August release $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Tweet Comment 4 Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in 'Sparkle.'Alicia Gbur/©TriStar Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection By Rolling Stone April 2, 2012 1:50 PM ET

Today had an exclusive look this morning at the trailer for Sparkle, which features Whitney Houston's final film performance. Sparkle marks Houston's return to the big screen after a 16-year hiatus, her first starring role in a film released in theaters since she co-starred with Denzel Washington in The Preacher's Wife in 1996. It will also be her last. Houston died February 11th at age 48 in her Beverly Hills hotel room.

Sparkle stars Jordin Sparks as Sparkle Williams, one of three sisters from Detroit struggling with fame as a singing group in the Sixties. Houston plays the women's mother, who had her own unpleasant experience with the music industry, and she is seen in the trailer warning her kids of its dangers. Cee Lo Green, Mike Epps, Derek Luke, Tika Sumpter and Amari Hardwick co-star.

Watch the Sparkle trailer below.

RelatedWhitney Houston Dead at 48Whitney Houston's Final Movie Set for August ReleaseCover Story Excerpt: Whitney Houston $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Twitter | To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Whitney Houston's Final Film: 'Sparkle' Trailer Released

Whitney Houston's Final Film: 'Sparkle' Trailer Released | Music News | Rolling Stone New IssueArchivesWelcomeAccount SettingsLogoutLog In To RS All AccessNot a member? Click here.Rolling Stone Skip to the content. Music Politics Movies Reviews Artist BlogsPhotos Videos Subscribe Now facebooktwitterRSSMore:Matt Taibbi•Peter Travers•Random Notes•RS Live•Charts•RS on Spotify•SXSW 2012 Coverage•My Favorite Concert Matt TaibbiPeter TraversDavid FrickeRob SheffieldRS Politics DailyTech BlogFashion BlogRS Playlistmore Blogs »AlbumsSongsMovies Whitney Houston's Final Film: 'Sparkle' Trailer Released Movie set for August release $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Tweet Comment 4 Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in 'Sparkle.'Alicia Gbur/©TriStar Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection By Rolling Stone April 2, 2012 1:50 PM ET

Today had an exclusive look this morning at the trailer for Sparkle, which features Whitney Houston's final film performance. Sparkle marks Houston's return to the big screen after a 16-year hiatus, her first starring role in a film released in theaters since she co-starred with Denzel Washington in The Preacher's Wife in 1996. It will also be her last. Houston died February 11th at age 48 in her Beverly Hills hotel room.

Sparkle stars Jordin Sparks as Sparkle Williams, one of three sisters from Detroit struggling with fame as a singing group in the Sixties. Houston plays the women's mother, who had her own unpleasant experience with the music industry, and she is seen in the trailer warning her kids of its dangers. Cee Lo Green, Mike Epps, Derek Luke, Tika Sumpter and Amari Hardwick co-star.

Watch the Sparkle trailer below.

RelatedWhitney Houston Dead at 48Whitney Houston's Final Movie Set for August ReleaseCover Story Excerpt: Whitney Houston $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Twitter | To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prevExclusive Download: Sugarman 3's Retro-Funk 'Rudy's Intervention'Music MainNextLCD Soundsystem Documentary Will Hit Theaters This Summer MUSIC 10 Things to Expect from Springsteen's Tour MOVIES & TV Peter Travers' Spring Movie Preview POLITICS Matt Taibbi: B of A is Too Crooked to Fail VIDEOS RS Live: Of Montreal in the Studio ADD A COMMENTLogin with Facebook in order to comment Login with FacebookCommunity Guidelines »

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Most PopularMusicPoliticsPhotosVideosJudge Drops Rick Ross Name LawsuitWarped Tour Returns To Its Roots Slash: 'Axl Rose Hates My Guts'Exclusive Download: Hot Water Music Return With Volatile 'Drag My Body'Patti Smith to Release Her First LP in Eight Years in JuneMatt Taibbi on Bank of America: Too Crooked to FailTaibbi: Ending Too-Big-To-Fail Goes MainstreamJeff Goodell: Jailed Climate Hero Thrown in the HoleHope 2.0: Inside Obama's CampaignThe Great American Bubble MachineReaders' Poll: The Best Boy Bands of All TimeBehind the Scenes With Tegan and Sara Jesse Frohman on Photographing Kurt CobainNeil Young Through the YearsSonic Youth: Three Decades of DissonanceJennifer Lawrence's Cover ShootMachine Gun Kelly's Triumphant New VideoJack Johnson and Eddie Vedder Duet'Game of Thrones' Stars in Photo ShootHollywood Doesn't Screw Up 'Hunger Games' Photos & VideosGo To Content

Random Notes: Hottest Rock Pictures

Go To ContentPlay Video

Video: Hollywood Doesn't Screw Up 'Hunger Games'

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Gallery: Sonic Youth: Three Decades of Dissonance

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