Rainn Wilson on the time Bryan Cranston almost killed the cast of The Office

In new film Jerry & Marge Go Large, Rainn Wilson co-stars alongside Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston. It wasn’t the first time they’d worked together.

Rainn Wilson played Dwight in the US version of The Office. And Cranston came on board to direct an episode of the ninth season. It turns out the experience nearly had horrifying consequences.

Speaking to The Big Issue, Wilson said: “Bryan almost killed the cast of The Office.

“He directed an episode called Work Bus where we decided we’re all going to work on a bus and travel around during the day.

“It was really hot so they hooked up an air conditioner, but they didn’t think about the exhaust coming out of the bus, going into the air conditioner, being blown into the bus.

“All of a sudden everyone was getting dizzy and passing out. It was an exhaust-filled trip through hell, thanks to Bryan Cranston.”

Wilson added: “No, it wasn’t his fault at all, but it was very funny and difficult and weird.”

Thankfully there were no major dramas in their new film. In Jerry & Marge Go Large, Cranston plays Jerry, who bored in his retirement, finds that there’s a flaw in the local lottery. So alongside his wife, played by Annette Bening, he pools the resources of the town to buy as many tickets as possible, before investing the winnings into regenerating their home town. Wilson plays Bill, a liquor store owner who lets the couple buy their thousands of tickets.

“I loved the script when I read it because it was just so uplifting and warm-hearted,” Wilson said. “Hollywood doesn’t make many movies about real, small-town America. Nice people who believe in each other and help each other, who are trying to make the world a better place and have fun along the way.”

For more from Rainn Wilson, pick up a copy of next week’s Big Issue.