Yahoo News ‘Barry’ Star Anthony Carrigan Loved Finding “Real Pathos” in a “Lovable Goofball”
When Anthony Carrigan’s Chechen gangster Noho Hank was first introduced in HBO’s Barry, he mostly brought levity to the dark comedy co-created by Bill Hader. But by the final season, while Carrigan still got laughs from Hank’s unique diction and other eccentricities, he also led the character down a tragic path where he had his lover and business partner, Cristobal (Michael Irby), killed before dying himself.
On the same day Carrigan was nominated for this third Emmy for this performance, it was reported that he would be starring as superhero Metamorpho in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. It made for an “insane” day for him. “It’s so nuts,” he tells THR. During the interview, Carrigan also delved further into Hank’s transformation and saying farewell to the flamboyantly dressed criminal.
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Can you tell me a little bit about what this nomination means? I know you’ve been nominated before, but this year you said goodbye to Hank.
Every time is special, honestly. Every time I’m just filled with such joy and appreciation and gratitude. But this one is really special because it’s the final season. It was really a beautiful note to end it on, but it was also really tough to end the show in general, and I think I’m still grieving. This is a nice salve to that wound.
How did your performance have to shift this season? Noho Hank began very much as comic relief, but his story ends on a really tragic note.
There’s honestly no greater gift for an actor than to be able to have as huge of an arc as I got to have with Hank. Starting off as this kind of lovable goofball and then finding this real pathos in him over the seasons and then ending it with this really changed, flawed person was just really tremendous. It was a tremendous opportunity, and I just loved every second of it.
What was it like playing Hank’s death?
It was really profound and heartbreaking for me as an actor. There was actually one moment that made it even all the more special: In the cut, you see Hank’s hand go up to this Cristobal statue and join hands there, but because of how we shot it, I couldn’t actually reach up to that. I needed something to reach up to, and then it ended up being Bill, and so I took Bill’s hand at the very end of it. It made it all the more special that I was holding Bill’s hand as Hank took his last breath.
What was it like working with Michael Irby this season, leading up to Hank’s heartbreaking betrayal of Cristobal?
First of all, Michael Irby, I have to give it up. He is just an absolute legend. He’s one of my favorite actors to work with. I felt so taken care of as an actor by him. He’s so generous, he’s so hysterical. What he found with this character was just next level. It was a real gut punch to find out that it would no longer be 50/50 with Cristobal, that it would be instead this really intense, devastating scene. But again, as an actor, what a joy to be able to play it.
Was there a moment that was most challenging this season?
I wouldn’t say necessarily challenging, because the cast and the crew and all the creatives took such good care of us that when we all showed up to do our job, things flowed so smoothly and really worked out in everyone’s favor. There were scenes where a lot of things could have gone wrong, but they didn’t. Also, the scene with Stephen Root at the very end [when Root’s Fuches, now known as The Raven, kills Hank after Hank refuses to partner with him], that was some of the finest acting I’ve ever seen, and it was right in front of my face. I’m forever grateful to have witnessed that and to have acted opposite a legend such as him.
What was it like to play moments of humor this season?
It was really important that, even though it got really dark, we managed to try to find some comedy here and there — and that Hank wasn’t completely lost as a character, that he didn’t go full Scarface on anyone. He was still Hank, just out of control.
What do you think you’ll miss most about Hank?
So much. Like, honestly. One thing is coming up with sayings [to verbally butcher] and turns of phrases to keep in that little notebook of my mind for Hank. Because I’ll think of some every once in a while and I’m like, “Oh, that’d be so perfect for Hank.” I’ll miss that, for sure.
Are you going to miss doing Hank’s accent?
A hundred percent. Still do it here and here, just to keep the dream alive.
This interview was conducted before the July 14 launch of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
This story first appeared in an August stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
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