If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
You might not recognize his face, but you probably know him from such roles as…
Pan’s Labyrinth
Star Trek: Discovery
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
He also plays Baron Afanas on What We Do in the Shadows. I’ve raved before about how good his makeup is when we first see him, but it gets even better.
Spoilers Ahead
When we’re first introduced to Baron Afanas, he’s a looming figure– a terrifying, ancient vampire coming to check on the progress of Nandor and crew in conquering the New World for vampire-kind. When his coffin opens and we get a glimpse of the Baron, you’d swear you’re looking at a prop, not a person. When he moves, its a thing of beauty; the makeup and prosthetics move with him naturally. Although WWDitS is a comedic show, there’s nothing cheesy or jokey about how the Baron looks. It’s amazing to watch.
Later the Baron is burned by sunlight and apparently dies. The vampires bury him in the garden and move on. Weeks later they hear a voice coming from his grave, and dig up the very-much-alive Baron, although there’s not much of him left, and what is left is pretty crispy. The makeup is different, but just as good. He looks exactly what you’d expect a charred partial vampire to look like. I think the reason he always looks so good is because the focus is on practical effects and makeup instead of CGI. I wish more effects departments would do the same.
Finally the Baron is healed in time for Nandor’s wedding. Not only healed, but also rejuvenated– he’s back to looking like himself in peak condition (much to Nadja and Lazslo’s delight). The makeup is a lot lighter, but just as skilfully applied. The Baron looks creepy but also compelling. If you saw him on the street, you’d instantly know he was a vampire. I can’t wait to see what they do with him next.
Of course the Baron wouldn’t be half as interesting without Jones’s performance. He’s a talented and nuanced actor, and you know you’re going to get something good when you see his name in the credits.
Speaking of credits, here are the members of the makeup department, a group that too often go unnoticed (I copied it from IMDb; clicking on individual names will take you to their IMDb profiles):
This will probably be my last What We Do in the Shadows post, unless someone has a suggestion for a topic they’d like to see? Otherwise, let me know what you think of Baron Afanas, or any other vampire. Who do you think looks most authentic? Share in the comments…
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
While vampires will forever be my favourite, I’m also a fan of a good vampire hunter. And Guillermo de la Cruz from What We Do in the Shadows is a great one. Keep reading to find out why…
5. He earns the vampires’ respect
Guillermo starts out as vampire Nandor’s familiar, which he describes as being a cross between a best friend and a slave. At first, Guillermo is overlooked, disrespected, and taken for granted. Vampire Laszlo usually can’t even be bothered to use his name, calling him Gizmo instead. By the end of Season 4, Guillermo is a vampire hunter, Nandor’s bodyguard, a parent figure to baby Colin, and is essential to running vampire Nadja’s nightclub. As a human, he’ll never be seen as an equal, but when it comes to the vampires who live with him, he’s as close as any human can get.
4. The Vampires Would Be Lost without Him
Although (adult) Colin Robinson seems fairly competent, it’s Guillermo who keeps the vampires’ lives running smoothly. He maintains the household, takes care of the vampires’ (sometimes bizarre) needs and requests, is their liaison to the modern world, protects them, and more. When Guillermo leaves for a few weeks, Nandor ends up begging him to come back. He can also dismember a body, which is a handy skill to have when you live with vampires.
3. He’s a Survivor
Guillermo might be one of the only familiars to not die prematurely. Nadja and Laszlo’s familiars never last long; meanwhile, Guillermo has been with Nandor for ten years. He’s also (presumably) the only survivor of a group of familiars who are ambushed and slaughtered. He also makes it through a gladiatorial-style setup at the Night Market, where familiars are pitted against one another for entertainment (and again, don’t seem to last long). Nandor does have an older familiar who apparently retired, so maybe he’s the only vampire to take care of his familiars. Still, he’s not always around, and yet Guillermo endures.
2. He’s a Van Helsing
When he gets the results of a DNA test, Guillermo finds out he’s a distant descendant of Abraham Van Helsing. At first he thinks it’s a funny coincidence, but quickly realizes there might be something to it, in part because he’s already killed two vampires. While those deaths could reasonably have been called accidents, Guillermo tests the theory by practising with stakes, before moving on to killing the vampires who keep showing up at the house to kill Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo. And he’s good at it. Really good. Guillermo can take down an entire room of vampires without breaking a sweat. When he’s forced into a gladiatorial match against Nandor, he proves that he could take down Nandor too (he doesn’t, though). Apparently Guillermo is a natural born vampire killer.
1. He’s Not Your Usual Hero
One of the best things about Guillermo is that he’s no typical superhero. He’s soft-spoken, wears glasses (because he needs them– not as a disguise) and sweater vests, is on the chubby side, and isn’t overly tall. And he kicks ass. You’d never have to worry about a vampire attack if he’s nearby. Buffy was also supposed to be an unconventional hero because she’s– gasp!– a girl! Okay, it was a big deal at the time (and much needed), but Buffy still ticks all the other usual hero boxes: she’s conventionally attractive, fit, fashionable, wisecracking– she’s supposed to be a teenager but never even gets a pimple. She’s basically Miss Stereotypical All-American. Well, Guillermo is American too– just not what people tend to think of, which is, of course, the point. Toward the end of season 4, Guillermo also comes out as gay– another attribute not generally associated with heroes (Marvel/DC are only just starting to introduce LGBTQ+ supers, and somehow it’s considered controversial). Is Guillermo what most people think of when they picture a vampire hunter? No, and that’s awesome.
Bonus: Guillermo wants to be a vampire, even after realizing he’s a born vampire hunter. If he ever gets his wish, it’ll be interesting to see how those two opposing sides of him fight it out.
What do you think of Guillermo, or vampire hunters in general? Share your thoughts in the comments…
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
Aspasía S. Bissas 