Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
The shows creators had no such reservations.
Mark Hamill immediately came to mind.
He is a master at what he does, and has done for his entire career.
It was an honor just to have him read the script.
When I found out that they wanted to play The Vampire, I just flipped out.
I enjoyed the episode so much.
Ive spent too much of the last few days yelling Jackie Daytona!
Its such a great new identity for him.
Itssoabsurd, not recognizing him because hes in jeans and has a toothpick.
Its just sublime silliness.
To commit to that, and to play it like its drama, is just so satisfying.
Ive been doing that all my life.
There were moments inStar Warsthat were just so ridiculous, but we just played it like it wasHamlet.
Theres something especially great about playing something this silly as though itsHamlet.
Well, obviously, hes not the brightest tool in the box.
That he would not recognize the Billy Bass thing.
Thats whats so wonderful and so ridiculous about it all!
How did you come to this role?I became a huge fan of the movie.
My son suggested we watch it, I said, What is that?
and he said, Its a reality show about vampires.
Which, that alone had me hooked.
I loved the movie.
Everybody has had energy vampires in their lives.
So I tweeted about itseveraltimes, trying to get my followers to give it a try.
So he was called The Vampire in the script?
Not Jim the Vampire?
[Laughs] Its the magnificent with the mundane!
Its likeLife of Brian.
Stefani Robinson wrote this and Yana Gorskaya directed it, and it was a joy.
When Laszlo calls me by name and I turn and say, How did you know my name?
and he says, Its right there on your business card, its just nutty!
Im curious about the wig.
Just holding it, it was a mass of white hair.
But you know you cant see yourself.
It didnt bother me, but had I known, I wouldve cleared it.
When you have great hair, why not show it off?
What We Do in the Shadowsoften makes space for improv when its filming.
Did you do much improv in the episode?Well, Matt Berry has just incredible improv skill.
He would unleash these lines and Id be hearing them for the first time, usuallyterriblyobscene.
I had to stay in character, because I personally found them funny but my character did not.
Because he kept talking about bathroom humor.
The only improv I said thats in there is Dont be afraid to draw blood!
when Jim was the volleyball coach.
The script was perfect the way it was, but their attitude is much like Matts.
But like I say, the script was so good I didnt have to do much of that.
That was improv?I dont remember that in the script.
But he would have two or three lined up, sometimes hed take a pause and say one.
Other times hed do a second take and come up with something entirely new.
He really keeps you on your toes because hes wildly inventive.
A great character I love the contrasts in these characters.
Nandor is so stately and pompous.
Matt is really like a blue-collar working man, puncturing that pomposity.
And Harvey [Guillen] as Guillermo?
Theyre each perfectly suited for their roles.
Like I say, Im abigfan.
I was happy to do it.
But I did my first scene and everyone was satisfied.
The only time Ive ever played a vampire before was in a cartoon calledMina and the Count.
You canfind them on YouTube.
I played the Count.
I was just fascinated!
Id never heard anyone with that particular accent before.
[Vampire voice] Listen to them, the children of the night!
What music they make!
[Normal voice] I thought, where does this man come from?
What will the rest of his life be like?
Do you think hell stay there?
[Laughs] Its interesting.
It had a beginning, middle and end, and Im happy to have done the one episode.
He could be satisfied being the volleyball coach.
But when you think of the logic of it all, he is a vampire.
What happens if they have a day game?
You cant really think it through logically, because were living in the absurd world of theShadows.
It makes no sense!
Every Wednesday it brightens my day when I go, Oh theres a newShadowsepisode!
