What We Do In The Shadows Kicked Off A Battle Between Matt Berry And Taika Waititi
We should be so lucky that "What We Do in the Shadows" boasts one of the funniest ensembles on television. An American spinoff of Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's 2014 vampire mockumentary of the same name could have faltered in recapturing the same magic in a number of ways. Luckily for us, the cast of the show excels on almost every level.
Natasia Demetriou's seamless turn-on-a-dime temperament from friendly to vindictive is always hilarious. Mark Proksch's dry delivery makes me smile because I too thrive on the contempt of people who almost wish they didn't meet me once I start dropping lame jokes on them. Kayvan Novak perfectly embodies the vampire himbo who has trouble reading the room. Harvey Guillén has grown to become the show's biggest secret weapon, evolving from timid familiar to an invaluable member of the team who knows his vampire-slaying worth. The member of the illustrious cast that has grown on me the most, however, might actually be Matt Berry.
I wasn't too familiar with the "Toast of London" actor prior to "What We Do in the Shadows," but the show has made me a full-fledged fan. Akin to Leslie Nielsen, his impeccable delivery can turn just about anything he says into comedy gold. He carries this confidence even when saying the most ridiculous things. "Ah, that was my first ship. It was a piece of s***" is one of the biggest laughs I've gotten from the series thus far. Berry is a notorious ad-libber on set, and according to Waititi, he's also prone to starting nap wars.
Bed!!
In a group interview with the New York Times, Taika Waititi recalls how Matt Berry would claim the set's most comfortable spot during a string of Toronto night shoots:
"We'd nap all the time. I'd see a couch and be like, 'There's my couch.' Matt Berry is also a huge napper. On the sets, we'd scope out the beds. And I'd be, 'Oh, that's mine.' And then I'd come in and Matt would be in it."
In this same interview, Jemaine Clement mentions how difficult it was to even find a place to rest when your set is fitted to accommodate vampires:
"Usually when you have a house set, there's bedrooms with beds. But there's no beds on this, because it's coffins. There's nowhere to sleep. So everyone's got to really search: 'Ah, now that human character has a bed.'"
I think it's fitting that this very funny show about dysfunctional vampire roommates carries the same energy behind the scenes. What makes it even funnier is that there was a sign on set that read "No sleeping," and in even smaller letters, "unless you're Taika." I have to question Clement's claim, though. Who wouldn't want to sleep in a padded coffin, especially Nandor's? Have you seen that thing? It looks comfortable as hell! Not only would I get to nap in style, but I'd get to close it off to all the noise around me. Waititi and Berry can go to war over the sole bed, while I'd claim the best sleep in the house.