Henry Winkler Says Barry Role Made Him a Better Actor, Recalls Final Day on Set

As Barry comes to a close, starring cast member Henry Winkler knows his biggest takeaway from the experience. Winkler, who first rose to fame as Fonzie on Happy Days, has played acting coach Gene Cousineau from the very first episode of Barry. This role earned Winkler an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2018 (when Barry was still a comedy).

“I have become a better actor. I have. I’m getting closer to the actor I dreamt about being when I was doing the Fonz. Some of my idols in acting are Jack Nicholson and Anthony Hopkins, where there’s no distance between their soul and their character. You can’t even put a sheet of paper between the two. There is something so magnificent about that. And I have been working to try to get there.”

The final season of Barry has seen some major twists and turns for the characters. Such as Cousineau accidentally shooting his own son to a time jump eight years into the future, where every main character goes through a transformation. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Winkler shared his emotional reaction to first reading the scripts for season 4.

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“You know, it’s so interesting. This is what I learned: You have an idea of where you think the story will go. You do your work, you do your rehearsals and everything, and it’s all great. And then, you get to set. Bill [Hader] directed all eight this year, and all of a sudden, he’s got a vision. It’s a big vision. My job is to see if I can help him create his vision and the writers’ vision, and I’m the third prong of the triangle.”

The Cast And Crew

Over the course of the show, Winkler has gotten to work extensively with Hader, who plays the title character, directed 18 episodes, and co-created the show along with Alec Berg. “Bill is generous. Bill is strict. Bill is clear. Bill is funny.” Winkler also described Hader as “a wonder,” for creating such a non-toxic atmosphere along with Berg, making working on the show a joy.

“Everything starts with the writing. Everything starts with the people at the top. I have worked on some wonderful shows. I am one incredibly lucky dude. But there is something about Barry. If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage. When we rehearse, we read through the scenes, and we talk through the scenes, and changes are made right on the spot. That’s their secret sauce. I don’t know how to describe it. I’m just lucky enough to have it on my meal.”

When it came to letting go of that character and “special sauce,” Winkler was of two minds on the subject. His “rational adult self” understands that this is the end, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t another part of him that’s sad. Winkler’s last day on set was the very end of production, so he walked through a room where Hader was waiting for him with a hug and the entire crew.

“I talked to the crew and I thanked them because they are the other half of the circle. There are the actors, and then there is the crew. Without them, without their support, you wouldn’t be filmed or lit on set or dressed. Or you wouldn’t eat. It’s the same with the audience. If they don’t come and join that circle with me, we are off the air. Without the audience, you can have a great idea… and then you go home and have a salami sandwich.”

The finale episode of Barry airs this Sunday on Max.

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