In a recent episode of Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Dinner's on Me podcast, award-winning actor Bryan Cranston shared some shocking stories about his close encounters with murder. While enjoying a meal of poke and salmon curry, Cranston recounted two separate incidents from his early years that indirectly involved murder.
During the mid-70s, Cranston and his brother Kyle were travelling across the United States. Low on funds, they decided to take a break in Florida and found jobs as waiters at a restaurant called the Hawaiian Inn. The restaurant was run by a difficult and cantankerous chef named Peter Wong, who had a reputation for disliking everyone. The staff, aware of Wong's affinity for women, devised various playful ways to imagine doing away with him. Jokingly, they discussed using a meat grinder or hitting him over the head with his own wok. Cranston recalled how they would entertain themselves with these dark conversations in the kitchen, fully aware of the numerous possibilities for causing harm.
Coincidentally, just as the Cranston brothers bid their farewell and left their jobs, Peter Wong went missing. The chef, known for carrying a significant amount of cash to the dog track, had fallen victim to a honey trap scheme. He was lured to a house, assaulted, robbed, and his body was hidden in the trunk of a car. Investigators came to the Hawaiian Inn to question the staff, asking if anyone had mentioned causing harm to Wong. Due to their previous discussions, suspicion turned towards Bryan and Kyle Cranston, who had left town around the same time as the murder. Unbeknownst to them, an all-points bulletin was issued to locate the brothers. As they rode their motorcycles through the Carolinas, they were unaware that police were actively searching for them. Fortunately, before the situation could escalate, investigators pieced together the evidence, identified the actual culprits, and arrested them. The ringleader, Billy Wayne Waughtel, later pleaded guilty but was tragically killed in prison.
In another unrelated incident, Cranston revealed a harrowing encounter that occurred after the end of his first marriage. During an audition, he met a woman with whom he experienced a passionate and intense romance. However, when he discovered her struggles with drug addiction, Cranston chose to end the relationship. The two decided to meet for a 'friends only' dinner, but things quickly took a turn. The woman began acting possessive, proclaiming they were still together. Cranston found himself caught in a dramatic confrontation on the set of a soap opera where he was working at the time. Feeling trapped and overwhelmed, he admitted to having a vision of killing her out of fear for his own wellbeing. The actor explained that he momentarily lost control and was consumed by emotions such as rage, fear, and anxiety. However, he snapped out of it and realized the gravity of the situation.
These bone-chilling stories shared by Bryan Cranston serve as a reminder of how unexpected and dangerous life can be. While he escaped physical harm in both incidents, the experiences left a lasting impact on him. Cranston's ability to open up about these encounters with murder sheds light on the complexities of human emotions and the capacity for darkness within us all. These accounts also emphasize the importance of staying vigilant, trusting one's instincts, and recognizing when situations become potentially dangerous.
