Bryan Cranston, Catherine O'Hara Try Mushrooms Before Las Vegas Concert

Bryan Cranston tried magic mushrooms for the first time alongside Catherine O’Hara while attending a Dead & Company concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas, an experience inspired by his role in the Apple TV+ series The Studio, where his character ingests a large dose of mushrooms. Cranston, lacking prior experience with drugs, sought advice from the show’s creator Seth Rogen and co-star Ike Barinholtz, who suggested microdosing to better portray the character’s psychedelic trip. Although initially hesitant and nervous, Cranston and O’Hara took small doses of mushroom-infused chocolates under Barinholtz’s guidance, who acted as their trip-sitter. Despite their expectations, Cranston described the effect as underwhelming, feeling only a mild sensation akin to sipping a few glasses of wine. The setting of Las Vegas and the group’s collective decision to see the Grateful Dead spin-off at the Sphere helped convince Cranston to try the mushrooms, believing the timing was fortuitous. Overall, the experience was more of a cautious, light introduction rather than a full psychedelic journey, providing Cranston with some personal insight for his acting role.