Who plays lazlo in what we do in the shadows

Devotees of British comedy might know Matt Berry for his early role in The Mighty Boosh. More casual fans may recognize him as Victorian vampire Laszlo Cravensworth in What We Do in the Shadows or even as the voice of the droid 8D8 in The Book of Boba Fett. But one thing is for sure–Matt Berry is a bloody funny guy.

His funniest characters tend to be over-the-top narcissists, capable of delivering outrageous and often downright hilarious dialogue with a completely straight face. Berry’s booming voice and willingness to don a ridiculous costume make him one of the best purveyors of British comedy in recent history.

Todd Rivers / Dr. Lucien Sanchez — 'Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'

In his first television role, Berry plays an actor called Todd Rivers, who is part of the cast of a fictional 1980s horror drama called Darkplace. Berry’s character-within-a-character is an eccentric doctor named Dr. Lucien Sanchez.

Dr. Sanchez gets himself into all kinds of tomfoolery, including a shootout with a floating cordless iron, followed by an 80s music video montage. Starring alongside future colleague Richard Ayoade, Berry’s debut into the outrageously wacky world of British comedy sets the tone for some of his later characters.

Dixon Bainbridge — 'The Mighty Boosh'

Berry fits right into the surrealist comedy with his portrayal of the pompous Dixon Bainbridge–part-time mad scientist, part-time adventurer, and owner of the "Zooniverse." His penchant for colorful vocabulary starts to come through, referring to the resident python as "the windy man, the long mover."

Besides his excellent mustache and irrational hate for Howard Moon (Julian Barratt), one of Bainbridge's stand-out moments is his rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart," sung alongside Berry's longtime colleague Rich Fulcher in the role of zookeeper Bob Fossil.

Douglas Reynholm — 'The IT Crowd'

Berry plays the son of Denholm Reynholm (Chris Morris), the former director of Reynholm Industries. Douglas makes a memorable entrance following his dad's death, shouting "FAAAAATHER" down the church aisle at his funeral before engaging in fisticuffs with the priest.

Berry plays the bumbling, self-assured, crude HR nightmare of a boss with his signature panache. Douglas's corporate wardrobe consists of many an open-collared shirt, and his unrelenting pursuit of Jen (Katherine Parkinson) ends in him having a "ball-taser" strapped to his nether regions, much to his dismay.

Steven Toast — 'Toast Of London'

Berry stars as Steven Toast, a washed-up, middle-aged actor who truly believes his career is a success despite being quite the opposite. Toast is a self-proclaimed ladies man who has an affair with his acting arch-rival, Ray Purchase's (Harry Peacock) wife.

Despite many unfortunate circumstances, Toast makes the best of what he's got, working as a voiceover artist, an author of erotic literature, and a tour bus guide. Berry's uncanny ability to make a cringe-worthy, outrageous character lovable is undoubtedly at play here.

While only guest-starring in one episode, Berry makes his mark as the professor of Grifting 101, the latest class offering at Greendale Community College. He uses many pseudonyms, but Roger DeSalvo seems to be his main one. To the professor, grifting is not merely a lie but an art form.

The professor's fierce rivalry with Greendale's resident grifter Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) becomes the episode's focal point, ending with Berry's character being beaten as his own game. But he does hold his own among the Greendale crew, as only Matt Berry can.

Eli Rabbit — 'Year Of The Rabbit'

Berry plays Victorian detective Eli Rabbit in this crime-comedy set in Dickensian London. Rabbit is a foul-mouthed, booze-riddled detective who likes to act first and think later. This Cockney cop has seen it all and is brutal in his pursuit of justice.

Berry manages to mix the grittiness of a hard-boiled detective with the flourish of a classic British detective, all while making the audience laugh. His constant profanity may contradict a traditional Dickensian story, but Berry makes it work. His impressive mutton chops alone are worth the watch.

Laszlo Cravensworth — 'What We Do In The Shadows'

In one of his best roles, Berry plays Victorian aristocratic vampire Laszlo Cravensworth. He lives with his good lady wife Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and their friend Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak). Laszlo is delightfully verbose, a chronic oversharer regarding his sexual exploits, and a skilled topiarist–his vulva garden speaks for itself.

Berry's ability to be ridiculous yet endearing makes Laszlo a fan favorite. His unexpected affection for human neighbor Sean (Anthony Atamanuik) has even become meme fodder, "He's my best friend, my pal, my homeboy, my rotten soldier, my sweet cheese, my good time boy." Everyone needs a friend like Laszlo.

KEEP READING: 'What We Do In the Shadows' Cast and Character Guide: Who's Who in the Spooky Mockumentary Series?