2015 was a great year forBill Hader, not that previous years haven’t been particularly awesome for the former SNL standout. Amongst the healthy crop of best supporting actor candidates, I’ve been disappointed to see that Hader, who was one of the few reasons to sit through 2014’sThe Skeleton Twins, along withKristen Wiig, hasn’t gotten any attention for his warm, direct performance inJudd Apatow’sTrainwreck, wherein he played the love interest ofAmy Schumer’s character. It’s the kind of natural, unforced performance that is easy to underestimate but is steeped in a very subtle, moving sense of character, filled with minor emotional and physical nuance that reveal a lot more about the character’s perspective than words do. It’s also worth remembering that Hader was a key force in the latest season ofSouth Park, for which he has often been a fixture in the writing room, alongsideMatt StoneandTrey Parker.
Now, he will seemingly get his very own showcase withBarry, a half-hour comedy pilot that Hader created under his exclusive development deal with HBO. According to Deadline, HBO just ordered the pilot, which focuses on the titular character, an ex-marine-turned-hitman who takes a job out in Los Angeles and ends up making friends with members of a theater troupe. The possible new series will pair Hader withSilicon Valleyexecutive producerAlec Berg, and if the last season ofSilicon Valleyis any indication, Berg has the golden touch when it comes to shaping comedies for the HBO audience.
There’s no more word as to who will be directing or co-starring in the series alongside Hader in the title role. As things begin to percolate withBarry, Hader is of course also looking at working on the next seasons ofDocumentary Now!, his enjoyable parody series with co-creatorsSeth MeyersandPortlandia’sFred Armisen. That would make three separate series that the comedian is currently at work on, and that’s not even counting movies. Does the guy ever sleep?
