Barry Berkman is ready to take his final bow.
It’s been five years sinceBill HaderintroducedBarry, his bleak comedy about a hitman-turned-aspiring-actor.
Now, the curtain is falling onBarry,as the show prepares to end with itsfourth and final season.
Bill Hader on ‘Barry’.Merrick Morton/HBO
Let’s still take big swings."
Here, the 44-year-old Hader opens up about saying goodbye toBarry.
At what point did you realize you were ready to end the show?
Bill Hader on ‘Barry’.Merrick Morton/HBO
BILL HADER:It was pretty much while we were outlining.
The story should probably end soon.
it’s possible for you to be writing something, and it’s like, “What ifthishappened?”
Bill Hader on ‘Barry’.Merrick Morton/HBO
A good example is in season 3 when Cousineau is in the trunk of Barry’s car.
In the outline, he was in the trunk of the car the whole show.
So, I kind of held off on it for a while.
I think it ends."
So, that was when I called HBO and told them, and then we told the cast.
And that was it.
You’re also directing every single episode this season.
You’ve obviously directed episodes in the past, but what made you decide to take on all eight?
I think it was two things.
One was I became much more confident in directing.
Directing and writing is a thing I’ve always wanted to do.
Then pragmatically, it was Aida Rodgers, our producer.
So yeah, I was probably driving people crazy.
How does your brain work when you’re doing both at the same time?
I just kind of see it as all one job.
It honestly starts from writing.
When you write, that tells you how you’re going to play it and direct it.
It’s really in the writing where I’m stressed out.
But once [the script] is locked in, it’s actually quite easy.
I know you’re a big film nerd.
Were there any influences or inspirations you were thinking about this season?
Not really for this season.
How can we lose all this dialogue and make it just a single shot?
How can we tell a story visually, as opposed to a scene of two people talking?
Don’t get me wrong: I like scenes where two people are talking.
But how can we visually tell the story, too?
Doing that, you’ll make references to things.
So, you’ll have moments like that.
[Laughs] I think it’s just ingrained in me.
This shot is directly out ofY Tu Mama Tambien."
[Laughs] But it’s all kind of in there.
It’s the same thing as a performer.
I’m just doing Phil Hartman right now."
Hey, there are worse people to be inspired by.
But I think the things you like are just in your DNA.
What else can you do?
Tell me about your last day on set forBarry.
What do you remember most?
Well, there were like three last days on set.
We had the initial day, which was really beautiful.
We were at a location in Big Bear, and I was directing.
But they’ve seen me cry in character a lot.
[Laughs]
But I was just going to miss them.
And they really helped me.
It’s very humbling.
They’re all such wonderful people.
He was in costume, and we sat and talked.
She said, “Hey Bill, this scene doesn’t really make sense.”
And I was like, [long sigh] “Yes.”
So thethirdlast day on set was just three weeks ago with Henry Winkler and Fred Melamed.
So by that time, everybody was like, “Alright.
See you at the premiere.”
So, what’s next?
Do you have something else lined up?
Do you want to take a vacation?
I think you deserve a vacation.
So yeah, I think I’m going to take a vacation.
[Laughs] I haven’t gone on a trip just to go on a trip.
It’s always for work or something.
So, I think I’m going to go on a vacation.
Work-wise, I want to make a movie.
I would love to direct a movie.
The things I’m writing right now tend to be movies.
And if I could think of another TV show, that’d be awesome.
But right now, the idea of doing another TV show makes my bones hurt.
[Laughs] My body physically reacts.
So, I think I need a break from the TV schedule.
I haven’t read a book in a long time, so I think I’ll probably do that.
I need to watch movies, get excited, and get inspired again.
NewBarryepisodes hit HBO and HBO Max on Sundays.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
