What We Do in The Shadows actor Harvey Guillén reveals the intense motivations he channels while performing most of his own stunts on the series.
Guillén, in an interview with The Movie Dweeb, shared details about doing stunt work for his role as Guillermo, the fan-favorite familiar who tends to the needs of four needy vampires on the popular TV series. "When we started off, they had no high hopes for me," he explained of his venture into doing stunts. "Then there was one scene in season two… they were like 'Can you do this?' and it was like a punch, and I was like 'Yeah, I could do that.'" Since throwing that first punch, the actor continued performing more stunts for the role, admitting, "the danger with me is I say yes to all the stunts." Yet, Guillén's character is known for going above and beyond for his undead overlords, which he channels into his stunt work. "Like literally when I am in Guillermo Mode, I'm like 'Yes! I can do anything,'" he exclaimed. "And then I look at the playback, and I'm like, 'What is wrong with you? Why did you agree to this?'"
Harvey Guillén's Guillermo Stunts
When asked about some of his most dramatic stunts, Guillén recounted, "There was one stunt that I look back, and I was like 'Wow, I can't believe I did that,' because it was the one wear I flip everyone off and I go out the window." His leap out of a third-story window came after much preparation with the stunt coordinator. "They kept testing me, and they kept throwing curveballs at me… Before you knew it… [our stunt coordinator] went to the producers and said, 'Harvey is actually like a natural stunt person… I would hire him.'"
It seems that Guillén's proclivity for stunts escalated to a point beyond what was acceptable for the production. "There was one stunt they didn't let me do because of insurance reasons. It was Josh, who is my amazing stunt double. He had to do it, and he was like, 'Yeah! Finally, I get to go in!'" he said of the stunt, saying, "For this one, it was when he falls down the staircase backward over his head… [Josh] was such a pro, and he did it in one take." When asked about his most challenging stunt, Guillén replied, "The big finale, the vampire theater, the season two finale … that one was a huge stunt which is the one that I was like dying in the last take," he explained. "It was all in one motion. It was no cuts."
The actor also discussed his work in a major stunt featured in the second season finale. "I think I have some of that footage on my Twitter," Guillén said. He further explained that "people automatically assumed that it was not me, and it was my stunt double. I had to, like, convince people it's me." In fact, after being met with so much skepticism about the stunts, he started recording his rehearsals out of pride. He also went into more detail on how he approaches stunts, explaining, "I took years of dance, and I see stunt as like a ballet… you always have to step on the right beat, or someone gets hurt." Despite the physical demands of the work, Guillén confided confidently, "In the moment, in Guillermo mode… I can do anything."
The Expanding What We Do in the Shadows Franchise
What We Do in the Shadows premiered on FX back on Mar. 27, 2019, and became an instant hit for the cable channel. The comedy series, which follows vampire housemates in New York City, is based on the New Zealand-set 2014 film of the same name by directors Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. However, the series and the film actually exist in the same continuity, with the franchise also consisting of the New Zealand-based series Wellington Paranormal and the developing lycanthrope-centric series We're Wolves.
The first four seasons of What We Do in The Shadows are currently streaming on Hulu, and season five is in production. Guillén teased some of his stunt work for the upcoming season, saying, "This next one, next season … it's like a sequence of events, I'll say that much, and there's a lot of movement."
Source: The Movie Dweeb via YouTube