WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Star Kayvan Novak Teases New Dynamic Between Nandor & Guillermo In S2 - EXCLUSIVE

FX's What We Do in the Shadows wrapped up its critically-acclaimed freshman season with a bombshell revelation as we learned that Nandor's (Kayvan Novak) long-time familiar Guillermo was a descendant of the one and only Abraham Van Helsing, meaning vampire hunting is in his blood.

During my recent chat with Men in Black: International star Kayvan Novak, I took a few moments to congratulate him on the renewal news while getting his thoughts on the big twist and learning just a bit about the upcoming second season, which will start filming in October. He also touches on where he'd like to see his career go next and making the jump from the U.K. to the U.S. 

ROHAN: I loved the first season. Have you guys already started work on What We Do In The Shadows season two?

KAYVAN: I appreciate that. We start in October, I think they’re still writing it. I think it’ll be out the same time next year that it was out this year.

ROHAN: The whole show was a really pleasant surprise. What did you think of the big finale twist that Guillermo was a Van Helsing descendant?

KAYVAN: Well, I'm excited to see how that plays into Nandor's life, because I think if Nandor finds out, then Guillermo is in trouble. I just hope he doesn't scalp me first.

ROHAN: The entire cast is so funny - everything Matt Berry says makes me laugh - and you guys all have such great chemistry with each other. What’s the environment like on set where you guys are doing all these ridiculously funny things?

KAYVAN: The atmosphere on set is funny and fun and we’re always enjoying ourselves and it's nice. We’re all very relaxed, it’s a good, relaxed environment. Not too relaxed, but relaxed enough that we can be natural and be funny together. And, yeah, Harvey and I have pretty great chemistry when it comes to Guillermo and Nandor and I love that double act.

With the rest of the housemates, we're supposed to be a little spiky with each other, always bickering and stuff and it's fun. It's good. It keeps everyone on their toes and I can't wait to go back out to do some more. It's a dream job for me. Doesn't get much better than this.

ROHAN: The episode with all the big vampire cameos is an all-timer.

You’re a very gifted comedian, would you like to continue exploring comedic roles or have you ever considered exploring more dramatic parts?

KAYVAN: I mean, I look at someone like Steve Carell, whose doing these kind of dramatic roles, but still bringing a humor to it and a wryness, which I love. So, right now, what he's doing is pretty inspirational to me. But, I think first I want to show America how funny I am and then if America doesn’t like my kind of funny, that's fine, I'll switch to drama. *laughs*

We’ll see what happens. - In the UK, my background, my reputation is being a prankster. So, you know, I did a lot of prank shows, so I’m always ready to bring that character stuff to the next stage one way or another.

ROHAN: What is that transition like? Coming from the U.K. to the U.S. and bringing your style of comedy to an U.S. audience, do you ever find yourself adapting it a bit or do you just try to stay true to yourself?

KAYVAN: No, I don't think so. I mean I think the American sense of humor and the British sense of humor, they go hand and hand. I think British comedy plays really well in the States and American comedy plays really well in the U.K. We appreciate slapstick and larger than life characters and big jokes and everything. Comedy is universal. You just have an instinct to the comedian and as a comedian, you want it to feel funny and the audience will either laugh with you or tell you to go do something else.

ROHAN: I’ve always been curious. We've seen a number of U.K. shows get adapted over here, most famously, The Office, and your show Sirens was also adapted as a series here.What’s that like for you when you hear your show is being remade in a different country?

KAYVAN: Yeah, I mean, we only did one season of Sirens in the U.K., so I didn’t even know it had been remade until it got cancelled in the States. So, yeah, but it was a good show. I enjoyed working on it. It was fun. I don’t know what happened really, they just didn’t want to renew it. It was one of those things. I was thankful for the experience, but then, I was just an actor on it, I would’ve been more upset if I had come up with the show.

Men in Black: International is now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD - click any of the covers below to order a copy for yourself today!

 

The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.