Anthony Carrigan on the Brilliance of ‘Barry,’ Developing NoHo Hank, and Working With The Fonz

While shows like Game of Thrones and Westworld usually dominate the conversation when it comes to HBO original programming, some of the premium network’s comedies have started to steer the momentum. One such series is the darkly comedic Barry, which has quickly become one of the biggest TV breakouts of 2018.

Created by and starring Bill Hader, Barry follows the misadventures of a professional hitman, who takes a case in Los Angeles and eventually decides to pursue a career in acting.

To celebrate the digital release of the show’s first season, ComicBook.com had a chance to chat with one of Barry’s most talked-about stars, Anthony Carrigan, who plays friendly gangster NoHo Hank.

ComicBook.com: Congrats on an awesome first season of Barry. This show is totally unlike anything else on TV…

Anthony Carrigan: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I feel like it’s one of those genres that you can’t quite pin down. There’s a lot of comedy, obviously, but there’s definitely a lot of darkness there, too, and that’s a really kind of … You don’t get that very often where that works out really well. Developing that character of NoHo Hank, it was really great to just be able to play with the lightness of it, because it gets so dark. So that’s one of the things that I really enjoyed most about it was just kind of understanding those extremes, and really kind of playing within that framework.

The scripts were so good, that you really just enjoy it the whole time.

Tell us a little bit about your audition process for the show, and landing the role of NoHo Hank.

So essentially my manager reached out to me about a script that she was very excited about. Obviously, it was Barry, and once I found out that Bill Hader was doing it, I immediately got super, super excited, because I’ve been a huge – Don’t tell him I said this – I’ve been a huge fan of his for a long time, and I just think he’s so incredibly funny, so incredibly talented, and once I saw what he was able to create, I had a whole new level of respect for him.

​So once I got the script and I read it, I was like, “I really, really have to be part of this”. But I went in and auditioned, and I just had a good time. Fortunately, it wasn’t one of those processes where I had to audition 16 times. I pretty much just put it down once, and then let it go. It was very, very easy, thankfully.

Bill has been infamously known for having fun on set, always cracking up and having a good time. How’s that been with you guys on Barry?

Oh, it’s incredible. I mean, the guy, not only does he wear a number of hats throughout the process because he’s writing, a lot of the episodes he directed, and obviously starring in, so he had a lot on his plate, but you would never be able to tell that because in between, he was making everyone crack up. I mean, it was sometimes hard to actually get back into the scene because the guy is just so hilarious.

Speaking of co-stars on set, Barry gave you a chance to work with The Fonz himself.

THE Henry Winkler.

That had to be something off the bucket list for you.

Oh, absolutely. I mean, not only that, but if you ever get a chance to hang out with Henry Winkler, you have to do it. Your life will be better because of it. He is the nicest human being. Ask anyone. Ask anyone who has ever come across him. He is the nicest, sweetest, most earnest, well-meaning person you’ll ever meet, and it’s such a joy to be around him. And, honestly, I’m grateful to know him, to be involved in the same project as him. I think he’s just a legend.

—–

The first season of Barry is now available for digital download on retailers like Amazon, Vudu, iTunes, etc. HBO has already renewed the series for a second season.