Barry Season 4: Here's How That Guillermo del Toro Cameo Came to Be
It was actually del Toro's idea.
HBO's black comedy series about a hitman who seeks to leave his criminal past behind to pursue acting while trying to avoid getting killed by his former employers, Barry is now in its fourth season and moving towards the finale.
Besides the numerous awards that the show has won over the years, the quality of the series is evidenced by the caliber of stars who make cameo appearances on it.
For example, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro showed up in Episode 3, Season 4, playing the man who hired two more-dangerous-than-they-seem assassin brothers to kill Barry on behalf of the mafia bosses. Though that was only a small role, the renowned director did his best to bring his character to life. But how did this cameo come about, though?
As Barry's co-creator Bill Hader told Deadline, it was del Toro who took the initiative one day and said that he'd love to guest star on the show. It didn't take long for Hader to write a small part to please his old-time director friend, and he soon approached del Toro, saying, 'Hey, man. I wrote a part for you. The character's named Toro.'
It seems that Guillermo was somewhat taken off-guard by Bill's quick response to his query. As Harder recalls, 'He went, "Really?" And I go, "Yeah!" And he texted me back, "Are you serious?'' — but eventually, that collaboration turned out satisfying for all parties involved, including the audience.
Barry's fans enjoyed del Toro's cameo, saying that it was pretty funny. Besides his character's name, the iconic director put a bit of his own personality into his role, as he appeared on the set with his own cane to complement the costume provided by the costume designer.
What's more, the very fact that the famous director of Pan's Labyrinth (2006) and The Shape of Water (2017) decided to make this cameo appearance holds a deeper meaning. As a winner of several Oscars, praised for the artistic merits and financial success of his works, del Toro made a contribution to Hader's Barry as a way to show his appreciation of his friend's creative efforts on the series, probably hoping to support and boost the show's viewership a bit.
And if you find the recommendation by the famous director convincing enough, be sure to watch the next episode of Barry, which airs on April 30, 2023.
Source: Deadline.