Its probably everyones reaction to their first experience of BritainsMatt Berry.
I think what sets Matt apart is his ability to turn the mundane into the eccentric, Jones says.
Hes Bedfordshires own Christopher Walken.
Matt Berry as Laszlo in ‘What We Do in the Shadows.‘Russ Martin/FX
DEADLINE: How did you first get involved withWhat We Do in the Shadows?
Would I be interested?
I asked him if he was going to be in it.
Natasia Demetriou as Nadja and Berry as Laszlo inWhat We Do in the Shadows.Russ Martin/FX
He said he was.
I asked if Taika was going to be in it.
He said he was.
So, I said, Yeah!
And then I got to Los Angeles and neither Taika nor Jemaine were in it.
So, all was not lost, put it that way.
BERRY: Hes 300 years old, something like that.
Hes an aristocrat who was bitten by an attractive young Greek vampire and he never looked back after that.
That would attract any actor, I think.
Thats what attracts me to it.
So that gives them credit to do and say whatever they like within reason.
And as a result, hes always been very free to play.
DEADLINE: When you signed up, did you realize the show would be an ongoing thing?
BERRY: Well, no one does.
You just sign up and see what happens.
Its very rare now, and we were all very lucky.
DEADLINE: When did you know it was working out?
I had no sense of it either way over here or over there.
It was just a job.
I finish a job, do some other jobs, and then go back to that job.
Do you know what I mean?
That sounds weird, but I dont know how else to explain it.
DEADLINE: How does it work on the show?
Do you have input in the writing?
How does each season develop?
BERRY: Everybody was chosen due to their abilities to improvise, so that was always encouraged.
I mean, that was a big thing for Jemaine and Taika.
That was the main aim from them.
DEADLINE: You have a very particular delivery.
Do they write to your strengths?
BERRY: No, not at all, which is a good thing.
DEADLINE: How has Laszlo developed over the past five years?
BERRY: Its difficult to say, because its not that sort of show.
These characters are hundreds of years old.
Or even the pilot.
DEADLINE: Theres also a lot of guest stars.
How does that work on a show like this?
BERRY: Well, its like any kind of TV show: Its a battle of scheduling.
Were in Toronto, which isnt the easiest place to get to for a lot of actors.
For some it is.
If theyre in New York, its not much of a problem.
But if theyre in Los Angeles or over here in the U.K., then its not so easy.
So that dictates who turns up.
Thats been the art.
If you want to be in it badly enough, then youll come out to Toronto.
Nothing against Toronto, dont get me wrong.
Its a lovely place and Im very, very grateful to it and everyone there.
DEADLINE: Do you get recognized much from the show?
BERRY: Its not just things fromShadows, its things from all kinds of shows.
But if itsShadows, then Ill hear someone shout, Bat!
Or I can be up first thing at five in the morning and I can hear someone shouting Bat!
So, it really doesnt make any difference what time of day, Ive found out.
DEADLINE: WasGarth Marenghis Dark Placeyour first TV show?
BERRY:It was indeed.
I hadnt done anything before then.
I hadnt had a plan to do comedy or be on TV.
It was nothing that I ever thought Id end up doing.
DEADLINE: What were you doing before that, as an actor?
BERRY:Well, I was in the London Dungeon.
The London Dungeon is a London tourist attraction.
Its a cross between a museum and a live performance kind of thing.
It was fantastic fun, but the money was horrendous.
Id do gigs in the evening, and then thats howDark Placehappened.
I havent got a clue.
But obviously I didnt say that to them.
So it was all to play for.
I just said yes to everything and turned up to rehearsal, and I really enjoyed it.
I didnt know whether I would or not.
Id never done anything like that.
Then it went to series and, touch wood, Ive worked ever since.
DEADLINE: When did you realize that this was working out for you?
BERRY:Well, you dont.
You dont ever think that, as such.
Youre just grateful that youre still working.
I mean, I didnt think Id work afterDark Place.
I didnt even know whether they would show the whole series.
And I wasnt convinced it was actually going to be aired until the first night when it did.
And no one believed that I was going to be on the TV.
I told people, including my family.
I said, Im going to be on the TV next month.
Can you talk a little bit about the genesis of that and how it came together?
Iknewthat there was something there.
Lets make it into a series.
I needed help in the form of Arthur, and Arthur is still the best at what he does.
Ive always been the biggest fan of his.
DEADLINE: What appeals to you about that character?
BERRY: Hes pompous, and he thinks that better things should be happening to him.
But its just fantastic to play because its not set in any particular time.
These characters are in their own world so they can do anything.
DEADLINE: Will you be going back to him?
I mean, Im happy with it.
It did everything that I wanted it to do.
DEADLINE: There was quite an ensemble feel onToast?
How did you put those people together?
Because its a tone thing.
They think this is incredibly serious.
And thats I hope was how we got the subtle comedy across.
DEADLINE: One of your first credits was Duncan JonesMoon(2009).
How did you first get involved with Duncan?
BERRY:I knew Duncan just from around London, and he mentioned that he was doing it.
I can remember him mentioning it and pulling out some in-camera effects that he was doing.
He built his moon set and all that.
I remember thinking it looked incredible and didnt think much else about it.
We did it in Shepperton, I think.
Again, I had no idea that it was going to be the success that it was.
I hope Duncan did!
Its a fantastic film.
DEADLINE: What are you working on at the moment?
BERRY: Im doing my own film.
Thats hopefully going to be the next thing that Im doing.
But before that, Im doing something calledCitadel.
The second season of that.
DEADLINE: And what part do you play?
BERRY: A spy.
DEADLINE: You also recently appeared inThe Simpsons…
BERRY: It was only one episode.
Just a guest role.
DEADLINE: But was that a milestone?
Surely every actor dreams of being onThe Simpsons?
So, it was two things in the space of a few months.
I was like, F*cking hell…!
I know everyone says that sort of sh*t, but its true.
It was Bruce Springsteens episode as well, so that was even better.
DEADLINE: How does Larry David work?
Is it true that theres really no script?
BERRY: No, there is no script.
No, no, no.
Larry picks people that improvise, and youre just given a starting point and sort of an end point.
He explains what he wants, and then you just go at it.
You do as many takes as you like.
Hes amazing, and he reacts perfectly to everything that you do.
He gives you stuff back and lets you make a load of noise.
I loved every minute, to be honest.
DEADLINE: You mentioned Bruce Springsteen.
Hows your new album coming along?
But Im doing it as fast as I can.
I should have finished it by now, and I wouldve liked to have finished it by now.
But it will be finished.
DEADLINE: What inspires you musically?
The same things that did in the early days.
I was doing it before I got into any of this, writing songs, coming up with stuff.
I just love it, and I love recording, and I love playing.
Its just such a release, and so satisfying.
There isnt anything as satisfying for me as finishing an album.
DEADLINE: Youve already filmed Season 6 ofWhat We Do in The Shadows.
What can you say about it?
So, Im quite excited to see what peoples reaction to that will be.
There are lots of special guests, but it contains what I think is a pretty cool finale.
I mean, they can go one way or the other, cant they?
So, who knows?
But I think its cool.
DEADLINE: Is it a particularly, shall we say,emphaticfinale?
BERRY: Youd have to see it.
