Supermanis now in theaters, and one of the standouts of the film is the element-bending Metamorpho, played by Anthony Carrigan. Metamorpho doesn’t have a lot of screen time in James Gunn‘s big-screen introduction to the new DC universe, but Carrigan makes every minute count with a sympathetic performance. Before his entrance into the superhero world, however, Carrigan was a scene-stealer in the acclaimed HBO series Barry.
What Is ‘Barry’ About?
Barry is about an ex-Marine turned mercenary, Barry Berkman (Bill Hader), who is struggling to find solace in his life after being turned into a killing machine manipulated by his handler, Monroe Fuches (Stephen Root). While tailing a hit in Los Angeles, Barry stumbles into an acting class taught by Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler), a former actor who becomes Barry’s mentor. Barry is instantly enamored by acting, and decides he’s going to leave his life of killing behind to pursue a career on stage. It’s in this same class that Barry meets Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg), another aspiring actor who becomes his love interest.
Barry quickly finds out that leaving his life of being a hitman behind isn’t as easy as he hoped. The target that led Barry into the acting class that changed his life was Ryan Madison, a.k.a. Richard Krempf (Tyler Jacob Moore), who was engaged in an affair with the wife of Chechen mob boss Goran Pazar (Glenn Fleshler). This act of infidelity led the mob to reach out to Fuches to take care of this issue, and that’s where Barry enters the City of Angels with his new mission. On behalf of the mob, NoHo Hank (Carrigan) fills in Barry with the details to take out Madison. When Barry decides to ignore his mission to kill Madison after befriending him in Cousineau’s acting class, a complicated, on-and-off friendship begins between NoHo Hank and Barry that provides one of the central throughlines of the wacky and crazy prestige genre-blending comedy-drama.
NoHo Hank Is One of the Best Parts of ‘Barry’
Even though the relationship between Hank and Barry is merely transactional at first, Hank is instantly infatuated with the hitman. The irony of the situation is that Hank respects Barry because of his insane prowess at killing people, and that is the one thing Barry does not want to be indulging in anymore. Hank becomes loyal to Barry — most of the time, to a fault — while Barry, on the other hand, constantly tries to distance himself from Hank while attempting to leave his life of murdering people for money behind. Hank is always there to help Barry out when he needs it, even if the sentiment isn’t always returned, because he believes there is a commonality the two share. Even though both of their lives are defined by crime and murder, Hank believes that they are both good people disguised as bad ones.
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Within Barry’s four-season run, the series displayed a heartbreaking tale of purpose, packed with surprisingly brutal action, major twists, and some laughs sprinkled in there. Barry’s journey is immensely tragic, but NoHo Hank always brought comic relief, even as the HBO show became even darker as it went on. Carrigan’s character had no problem killing, just like Barry, but his approach to life and even murder was always accompanied by a smile. This key divergence is what makes Hank a far more relatable character than Barry. Hank is endearing because even when he is involved in despicable acts, he always shows signs of compassion and kindness, which amplifies the dark humor that makes the series so interesting to watch. For someone involved in the line of work he is, Hank is unexpectedly positive and charming in some of the darkest types of situations.
NoHo Hank’s Comedy Isn’t His Only Defining Characteristic in ‘Barry’
NoHo Hank became an instant fan favorite and even garnered critical attention, with Carrigan earning three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Yet laughs aren’t the only reason fans fell in love with him on the series. A beautiful Romeo and Juliet-esque love story between Hank and rival crime family leader Cristobal Sifuentes (Michael Irby) blossoms amidst the chaos of the show’s world. This relationship is arguably the best one in the entirety of Barry, even above the one with the title character and Sally, mostly because of how the relationship came to be.
Hank also, funnily enough, constantly struggles with work-life balance. That might sound straight-up ridiculous for a mob boss to be dealing with, but Hank’s innate sensitivity and need for love and affection make it all work. His ambition exists on the same level as his loyalty towards his friends, which mirrors what most viewers deal with in everyday life when trying to be successful at work while trying to nurture relationships outside work. Showcasing these pillars of humanity in a larger-than-life character is one thing that keeps Barry grounded between action-filled episodes and sometimes overdramatic moments of conflict within the show’s ensemble.
Carrigan skillfully depicted the complexity of what could have felt like a one-dimensional character in Barry, which is likely one of the reasons why James Gunncast him as Metamorpho, not only in Superman but also as a recurring presence in his newly formed DCU. In the meantime, anyone looking for more of Carrigan’s depth and sensitivity across even more screentime can now enjoy his incredible, Emmy-nominated performance in all four seasons of Barry.
Barry is available to stream on HBO Max.
Barry
- Release Date
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2018 – 2022
- Network
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HBO Max
- Showrunner
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Alec Berg
- Directors
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Alec Berg
- Writers
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Alec Berg
