The final season of HBO’s hit series Barry has garnered a lot of attention with viewership skyrocketing. Most of the accolades have been directed towards Bill Hader, who is the show’s protagonist and creator of the dark comedy. As the show wraps up, Bill Hader shares his directing experience, including how he works with actors.
In an interview with IndieWire, Bill Hader discussed his approach to directing and how it helps actors to deliver their best performances. He emphasized the importance of having a clear vision and being precise about expectations.
Unlike some directors who may be unsure of their vision and reject ideas, Bill Hader believes in working with actors to achieve collective goals. He expressed his frustration with directors who don’t provide guidance, which can make actors uncomfortable. According to Hader, making actors feel relaxed and comfortable is critical to getting the best performance. He believes in providing encouragement, allowing actors to express themselves, while providing guidance along the way.
Bill Hader is empathetic towards actors, understanding that they can feel anxious and caught up in their own thoughts. In those moments, he reassures his actors, telling them that they cannot mess up. In some cases, he assures them that he has what he needs, even if he doesn’t, to help them relax. He believes that saying “we’ve got it” and then encouraging other options instantly puts actors at ease, leading to exceptional performances.
Finally, Hader noted that he tries to minimize the number of takes to avoid exhausting his actors. The Barry season finale is set to air on May 21st.
