The 2025 TV schedule has played host to some great new shows, including The Pitt. The hit series, which is streamable with a Max subscription, marks Noah Wyle’s medical drama TV comeback, but the show also highlights some fresh talent. One of the many fresh faces that makes up the stellar ensemble cast is actress Taylor Dearden, who is the daughter of acclaimed actor Bryan Cranston. Being the proud dad that he is, Cranston knows Dearden crushes it on the show, but what I really love his reason for not giving her any acting advice.
Dearden plays Dr. Melissa “Mel” King, a second-year resident who has become quite the fan-favorite. The rising star is Cranston’s only child and uses the surname of her mother, Robin Dearden, who is also an actress. As Taylor continues to receive praise for her role on the show, Cranston spoke to The Associated Press about her success, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a father with more glowing thoughts on their kid:
There is nothing that’s more gratifying than when your kid receives praise. Nothing. No one can say anything to me that’s better than that. Her mom and I are just over the moon with her work on it. She’s a very hard-working person; she grew up in it, so it’s in her bones. She’s in it for the right reasons, and she loves it.
The Pitt is not Taylor Dearden’s first acting gig, as she actually made a small appearance on Breaking Bad back in 2010. She’s appeared in a number of shows and short films, since then, most recently Apple TV+’s For All Mankind in 2022. However, the aforementioned medical drama seems to be shaping up into her true breakthrough job. On top of that, the show has become a critical darling, and it quickly received a renewal for Season 2.
It’s sweet to hear how much Bryan Cranston supports his daughter and her professional endeavors, but he has firm reasons for not providing her with acting advice:
Now, as far as advice, I think she picks up, because I’m her dad, she picks up advice hopefully by the way I behave in this business and navigate my way through. But I don’t ever say, ‘Now, young lady, here’s some advice I wanna give you.’ It’s like, kids don’t wanna hear that. They don’t wanna hear that.
I absolutely love Cranston’s reasoning, which is that Dearden may have picked up more than a few pointers naturally due to her parents' chosen professions. The Malcolm in the Middle icon also brings up a great point in that there are cases in which kids just don't want to take advice from their folks. I love that Cranston just trusts that his daughter will be able to navigate her way through the industry like he had to. There's a firm balance between being a supportive parent and a domineering one, and it seems Cranston has struck the balance.
Considering Taylor Dearden's work on The Pitt, I can definitely understand why her dad is so confident in her abilities. Mel King is such an interesting character as well, and there's certainly room for her to grow. That being said, it’s unlikely the show will explore the characters' lives outside of the hospital, but that certainly doesn't mean Dearden won't have strong material to work with moving forward.
There's been a lot of discussion about nepotism in the entertainment industry as of late and, admittedly, there are some valid takes on that. However, that doesn't take away from the sheer pride that an actor like Bryan Cranston sees in his daughter. To check out Dearden's great performance, check out the The Pitt (which is very visceral) now!
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