Actor playing Gene Cousineau is the most critical of the real thing. HBO criminal drama “Barry,” starring Alec Berg and Bill Hader, has included Henry Winkler as an acting teacher since 2018.
Winkler, who is best known for playing the Fonz on “Happy Days,” has received rave reviews for his performance as Cousineau and even won an Emmy for the show’s first season because of it.
The HBO series “Barry,” starring Bill Hader and Henry Winkler, has captivated audiences with its unique blend of dark comedy and crime drama. It’s a show that constantly keeps viewers questioning the morality of its characters and its intriguing storyline.
In this comprehensive guide, we explore Henry Winkler’s role in “Barry,” why Barry became a hitman, the moral underpinning of the series, and delve into the questions of whether Barry is the bad guy, did he turn evil, and why he keeps killing.
What does Henry Winkler do in ‘Barry’?
Henry Winkler plays Gene Cousineau, an acting coach who becomes an unlikely mentor to Barry Berkman, the titular character. Cousineau, while often portrayed as somewhat pretentious and egoistic, represents a pathway for Barry to escape his life of crime. His role serves as both comic relief and as a moral compass, albeit a flawed one, for Barry.
‘Barry’ Star Henry Winkler Thinks His Character Could ‘Definitely’ Commit Murder
However, the TV legend doesn’t hold back when criticising his character, calling him “selfish, vain, and stupid.” By the start of “Barry” Season 3, it’s clear that Cousineau has undergone some sort of transformation, for better or worse.
Through the events of Season 2, he was able to reconcile with his estranged son Leo (Andrew Leeds) and his grandson, and they now all live together. But he is also emotionally upset because at the end of Season 2 he learned that his acting student and mentee Barry (Hader) had murdered his lover, detective Janice Moss (Paula Newsome).
Who is Henry Winkler?
American actor, comedian, novelist, executive producer, and filmmaker Henry Franklin Winkler was born on October 30, 1945. Winkler became well-known as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on the American sitcom Happy Days, but he has since established himself as a notable character actor with roles like Arthur Himbry in Scream.
Coach Klein in The Waterboy, Barry Zuckerkorn in Arrested Development, Eddie R. Lawson in Royal Pains, Fritz in Monsters at Work, Uncle Joe in The French Dispatch, and Gene Cousineau in Barry. Two Daytime Emmys, two Golden Globes, a Critics’ Choice Award, and a Primetime Emmy are among his many honours.
Barry is the Least Interesting Part of the New Season of ‘Barry’
There are actors that just hog the spotlight. Some people just hog the spotlight. Despite Happy Days being a celebration of 1950s America and starring a cast of characters. With names like “Archie,” “Joanie,” “Ralph,” and “Potsy,” the viewers only seemed interested in the jukebox-thumping Fonzie.
Henry Winkler’s portrayal of the high school dropout turned him into a cultural image of leather and coolness. Despite the character’s original intention of being a supporting one. As the series progressed, he became a focal point.
Why Did Barry Become a Hitman?
Barry Berkman, portrayed by Bill Hader, was a Marine who had trouble adjusting to civilian life after returning from deployment. This struggle led him to a life as a contract killer.
His skills from the military made him effective at the job, but they did not prepare him for the moral and psychological toll it would take on him. Becoming a hitman provided him with a sense of purpose, however warped it might have been.
What is the Moral of ‘Barry’?
“Barry” deals with themes of identity, morality, and the human cost of violence. It explores whether a person can ever escape their past and the complexities of making moral choices in a world that often appears amoral.
While the show doesn’t offer easy answers, it encourages viewers to engage in moral introspection, asking themselves where they would draw the line in similar circumstances.
Is Barry the Bad Guy?
The genius of the show lies in its ability to blur the lines between good and bad. Barry is a hitman; he kills people for money. However, he is also portrayed as a person who deeply wants to change, to become a “good” person. This dichotomy makes it hard to label him outright as the bad guy. He’s a complex character embroiled in both good and bad decisions.
Did Barry Turn Evil?
As the series progresses, Barry is put into increasingly complex moral situations. While his intent often starts as wanting to do the right thing, his actions can result in devastating consequences, leading some to argue that he has turned “evil.”
The show’s creators skillfully leave this interpretation up to the audience, making Barry’s moral journey an ongoing debate among fans.
Why Does Barry Keep Killing?
Barry’s constant return to killing, even when he seeks a more virtuous path, is a complex issue. The show suggests that, in part, it’s because violence is the tool he knows best.
It’s his default method for solving problems, honed by his past in the military and his career as a hitman. This makes his attempts to leave his past behind all the more tragic and complicated.
Conclusion
Actors Recently, actors Henry Winkler (who plays acting coach Gene Cousineau) and Anthony Carrigan (who plays affable Chechen mobster NoHo Hank) discussed their feelings about where the show is going.
HBO’s Barry was a fantastic show because it managed to combine comedy with drama in its first two seasons. The third season of the show, which just concluded, took a decidedly grim turn when the show’s protagonist, Barry, saw his dual lives as an actor and a hitman intersect.
“Barry” is a series that thrives on its moral ambiguity and the complexities of its characters, particularly Barry and Gene Cousineau, portrayed by Bill Hader and Henry Winkler respectively.
The show invites the audience into a complicated dialogue about morality, asking more questions than it answers. As it forces viewers to grapple with uncomfortable ethical dilemmas, it becomes more than just a dark comedy or a crime drama—it becomes a mirror reflecting our own complexities.
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