Bryan Cranston On The Winning Formula Behind ‘Jerry And Marge Go Large’

What would you do if you won $27 million playing the lottery? Jerry and Marge Selbee from Michigan got a chance to find out for real after he found a loophole in the game.

Jerry And Marge Go Large, starring Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening, is the movie of the true story. After debuting on Paramount+, it has landed on Digital ahead of a November release on Blu-ray and DVD.

I caught up with Cranston to discuss the movie, getting to know and becoming Jerry, and the role that made the actor feel like he’d won the lottery.

Simon Thompson: It’s not often that we hear about people playing loopholes to help others, but that’s really at the heart of this story.

Bryan Cranston: When Annette Bening and I went to meet the real Jerry Selbee, who I’ve come to know, and his wife, Marge, before we made the movie, I realized, ‘Oh, this wasn’t out of greed or avarice, it was something to do. It was an adventure, and it was to accomplish something. The proof is in the pudding because what did he do when he won the $27 million for himself, his family, and his friends in the town? He did two things. One, he bought a new truck. He treated himself to that. What he did with his money was set up college funds for all his grandchildren. He has six children and scores of grandchildren. They live in the same house; they didn’t get fancy clothes, jewelry, or anything like that because that’s not them. It wasn’t about blowing that money, traveling the world, or doing crazy things. It’s a very sweet story, and it was all about the adventure.

Thompson: When you met Jerry, were there characteristics or mannerisms you wanted to carry across to your interpretation?

Cranston: Not so much. When an actor starts creating a character, they must keep an open mind. You don’t want to talk to someone and go, ‘Oh, he has a very low voice, so I’m going to do a very low voice.’ You want to keep it open and see what happens. Annette Bening and I were talking about it, and her take on it was the kids called Marge “Marge the Sarge” because she was the disciplinarian in the family, so she took on that “grab the bull by the horns” thing and ran with it. I thought, ‘That’s interesting and good, but I think I’m going go in the opposite direction to make it a nice compliment.’ I didn’t realize that at the beginning because Jerry is very gregarious, open, friendly, and talkative. For our version of the story, I thought it might make more sense if he is a little more reticent and a little more buttoned down. He’ll talk to anybody. I think my Jerry was a little more closed down, and part of his lesson was that he learned to open up later in the story.

Thompson: What did they make of Hollywood coming to their corner of the world in Michigan? We live in a slightly different world to a lot of people.

Cranston: (Laughs) Yeah, they were initially very cautious. I don’t want to say trepidatious because that might be too strong. They weren’t worried, but they were concerned. They didn’t want to be portrayed as bumpkins, and they didn’t want to look silly or foolish. After Annette and I and our director visited them, they trusted us. I told them directly; I said, ‘I have no intention of impersonating Jerry, and neither does Annette of Marge. That’s not the idea.’ We wanted to get the sensibility of these two people, and hopefully, that goodness comes to light.

Thompson: I’m sure many people have asked you if you’ve ever played the lottery. As an actor in Hollywood and Broadway, I know that life is a lottery in itself.

Cranston: As you gain wisdom through experience in life, you start looking at the odds of things. You go, ‘I want that big piece of chocolate cake, but if I do eat that chocolate cake, I know the ramifications,’ or ‘I’m going to jump off this cliff in Mexico into the water.’ Now I’m like, ‘Let me think about this a second,’ and that’s the difference. Hopefully, you gained some wisdom through experience. In the sense of the lottery, Jerry would not have played this if he didn’t already figure out the math that turned things in his favor. He’s a math genius, so he knew that if he played it at this particular amount of money at a specific time, the odds turned in his favor. That’s the only way he was going to play.

Thompson: What was the first role you played where you felt you’d won the lottery?

Cranston: My goal was to be a working actor. I wanted to make a living doing it, which happened when I was 25 years old. I got a job in New York working on a soap opera. The work was very challenging and difficult, but there was something about getting that job that, emotionally, it felt like I had crossed a threshold. It was like, ‘Oh, I can do this. I belong. I’m on my way.’ To this day, that’s my proudest achievement because that turned the switch for me. I left doubt and insecurities behind and was looking forward with enthusiasm and alacrity.

Thompson: Jerry and Marge saw the movie. What was the feedback?

Cranston: They saw it at Tribeca, and I was there. They were very happy. Afterward, we talked and asked him, ‘What do you think?’ He goes, ‘I think that was a fun thing to watch. That was really fun. You did a heck of a job.’ I’ll take it because he knew that I accomplished what I told him I would, and that was to embrace his story with all the integrity he approached it with in real life. I wanted to try to capture that on film, and I think it worked. I was very happy with it. That said, it meant a lot that we got the stamp of approval from the Selbees.

Thompson: When you’re buying gas at a gas station or walking past a bodega in New York, do you ever see those lottery tickets now and think maybe you’ll have a go?

Cranston: Nah (laughs). No, it’s a sucker’s bet. The only reason that Jerry did this is because he found that loophole. If I was already in a store, and someone else was buying lottery tickets, and it’s up to $200 million, I’m there, so I’ll put $20 down. Sure. I’m not expecting anything, but I’m there, so I might as well do it. That’s fine. I won’t go crazy. No, the odds are too far against you.

Jerry and Marge Go Large is available on Digital now and will land on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.