(Light spoilers for Barry season 4 episode 3) Bill Hader has opened up behind casting Guillermo del Toro for a surprising cameo in the latest episode of Barry (via IndieWire). Airing last night (April 23), the director accomplished his dream of starring in the show he has been a fan of for years.
The scene that saw Guillermo del Toro act in Barry was a short one. NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) and Critobol (Michael Irby) needed a hitman to kill the titled character, so they went to talk to Toro, who was none other than the Oscar-winning director. He told them he knew of two guys, podcasters who kill people on the side, who will take care of the job. Fortunately for the hitman-turned-actor, they were pretty bad at assassination attempts.
The story behind Guillermo del Toro landing a part in Barry all came down to a simple text. One thing led to another, and the next thing Carrigan and Irby knew, they got to act opposite the acclaimed filmmaker.
“Guillermo sent me a funny text [asking], ‘Could I be in Barry?’ I think he didn’t think I would. People say [they want to be in the show] sometimes, and it never happens. But then I thought, ‘Actually, there’s a part that he’d be really good in.’ I called him and said, ‘Yeah, I have a character for you. His name’s Toro.'”
Bill Hader Recalls Guillermo del Toro’s Cameo in Barry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4lf2LKZwoY
Naming the character Toro was the signal the creator and star wanted to give to The Shape of Water director that this offer was real. To him, it was “saying, ‘Well, now you’ve got to do it.'” Still, it was a little bit of a risk as he did not “know if he could act or not.” He came prepared as he brought his own cane for his character. With those few lines, he managed to sell the scene, and it made for a funny moment between him, Cristobol, and Hank, continuing the show’s trend that the criminal underworld is often funnier than the acting world.
When it comes to acting credits, Guillermo del Toro goes beyond his cameo in Barry. Whether as a character or as himself, he has had roles in The Simpsons, It’s Always Sunny in Philidelphia, and Puss in Boots.