How Bill Hader turns anxiety into art on HBO's 'Barry'

Barry protagonist Bill Hader admitted he lets his anxiety fuel his work. Speaking to Men’s Health the creator and star of the show, Hader divulged details about his experience with anxiety.

“Oh yeah. I mean, I think that anxiety fuels some of it, within the writing and what some of the characters go through. Without a doubt.”

“And also sometimes you use it in the performances. It’s OK to open up to that. The biggest thing I’ve learned about anxiety is that the more I fought it, the worse it got. So, you kind of have to let it in, and just say, like, Well, I’m anxious. It can be so overwhelming, and you can physically feel a certain way; for me, I get very dizzy, or my arms and legs get very heavy, and just, Oh my god.”

Bill Hader also spoke about how he has learned to deal with anxiety by acknowledging it and taking care of himself through meditation and exercise. Hader finds it cathartic to incorporate his experiences with anxiety into the show's characters and performances.

“But it’s just taking care of yourself. Even just meditating, or exercising… all the stuff they tell you to do, it actually does help. It's very cathartic to be able to put that stuff in for the characters, and also use it in the performance.”

The interviewer asks Hader if there is a particular character or moment in Barry that he relates to regarding anxiety.

Hader mentions that he can relate to the experiences of the character Sally, played by Sarah Goldberg. He acknowledges that some of the situations are blown up but still finds them relatable, especially moments where Sally feels “tense and paranoid”, as he has felt that way in his own life.

The upcoming season 4 of HBO’s Barry will be its last, the cabler announced. The final season will consist of eight episodes and premieres April 16.

Barry is created by Bill Hader and Alec Berg, and first aired in 2018. The show follows the story of Barry Berkman, a hitman who goes to Los Angeles to carry out a job but ends up enrolling in an acting class taught by Gene Cousineau. Through his experiences in the class, Barry starts to question his life choices and tries to leave his criminal past behind. However, his past actions continue to haunt him and he struggles to escape his former life as a killer.