Anthony Carrigan (‘Barry’): ‘We came back with a vengeance, quite literally’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“We took a big swing this season and I’m happy that it’s paid off for people,” declares Anthony Carrigan about the third season of “Barry.” The HBO comedy about a hitman’s struggle for redemption returned in 2022 after a nearly three-year hiatus. The series earned 14 nominations for this year’s Emmy Awards, including a nomination for Carrigan, who plays the loveable Chechen mobster NoHo Hank. In our exclusive video interview (watch above), Carrigan discusses earning his second Emmy nomination and reveals what episode he submitted to Emmy voters.
Carrigan believes that the pandemic-induced hiatus gave series creators Bill Hader, who also plays the title role, and Alec Berg a chance to fine tune the show’s third season. The result, Carrigan says, is a more complex final product. “Ultimately, I think they were able to sew certain things up, connect things to other seasons, and ultimately make it a lot more nuanced,” he argues. “So we came back with a vengeance, quite literally!”
The third season of Barry finds Hank at his most optimistic, something that Carrigan argues separates Hank from the show’s other characters. “Hank does have a certain optimism and buoyancy that is not as present in the other characters,” he says. “There’s a real kind of darkness and narcissism in each of these characters, and I think Hank’s aloofness just puts them in a different category.”
However, even Hank finds himself in dire circumstances, particularly after he is captured trying to rescue his Bolivian boyfriend Cristobal (Michael Irby), who is being tortured by his estranged wife. Carrigan explains that even Hank is not immune to Barry’s unintended impact on the lives of those around him. “I think you see with each of the characters this season that whatever Barry is cursed with has found its way into each of the characters,” he says. “Just seeing that kind of venom move outward has been a really cool thing for me to see just as a viewer.”
Carrigan has submitted the season’s first episode, “forgiving jeff,” to Emmy voters. The actor explains his rationale, pointing to the comedy of the interrogation scene where Hank is questioned by detectives. Carrigan also points to a poignant scene where Hank tells Barry that forgiveness has to be earned. “I feel like [those scenes] just encompass a lot of what the season’s about,” explains Carrigan. “So that was ultimately why I made the decision to do that.”
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