Barry started with a surprise cameo and bookended with another surprise cameo. Season 4 Episode 3 featured Fred Armisen as a podcaster/hitman sent to kill Barry by NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan).
Armisen is not a jaw-dropper, considering he and Bill Hader worked at SNL. The pairing was inevitable.
What surprised viewers was a shocking cameo by legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.
And to make it funnier, his character’s name is “El Toro.”
The wave of joy splashed all over the social media stratosphere as soon as the jolly director hit the screen.
Here is why Guillermo del Toro guest starred on Barry and the internet’s reaction to the beloved director.
Twitter reacts to the Guillermo del Toro Barry cameo
Twitter loves the Pacific Rim director, and that was widely known when the episode aired. Many came flying at their keyboards to voice their disbelief at seeing a gangster version of the filmmaker.
Here are some of the reactions below.
Some viewers likened Del Toro’s cameo to the description of “cinema.” One example is using Martin Scorsese as a meme to drive the point home.
Other viewers were in shock because they first did not recognize the filmmaker. It’s amazing what a cane and slicked-back hair could do for a person.
Guillermo del Toro in Barry: Who was El Toro?
The third episode begins with NoHo Hank and Cristobal orchestrating a hit out on Barry — who is currently in prison. The man in charge of making Barry’s death happen is El Toro. A well-put-together Spaniard who speaks just like Guillermo del Toro (because he is).
Toro guarantees Barry will be killed by the end of the day but explains two podcasters will execute it. The podcasters are known for conversing about gadgets, which sparks a humorous exchange about the quality of the gadgets discussed in the podcast.
This was the only appearance by the Pan’s Labyrinth director in the episode, but he and Sarah Goldberg (who plays Sally) left a mark by the end of the show. In fact, according to Bill Hader, not only did the filmmaker request to be on the show, he humorously critiqued Hader’s filmmaking.
Speaking to IndieWire, Hader recalls, “He would give me s**t about how I was blocking [the scene]. Things like that. He said, ‘The eye-lines won’t match because you’re on too wide of a lens.’ And I was like, ‘Guillermo, it’s not really your call, man.”
But Hader further adds, “But no, he was very sweet. I remember afterward he goes, ‘You shoot fast. That’s good. Hold on to that.’”
Given this information, one can presume they will work together again. And maybe El Toro will make another appearance before the season is over.