Barry’s Henry Winkler Explains His Character’s Actions on the Series Finale

Barry, the much-acclaimed comedy crime drama led by Bill Hader, has finally concluded after running for nearly half a decade. It has left the audience with a suspenseful and intense ending. Hader even admitted that the original ending was much darker.

The final episode is the culmination of the tension that has built up between the master and the student all throughout the series. The result was Winkler’s character’s life-altering decision to put an end to Barry’s string of criminal activities.

Barry follows the story of Bill Hader’s character, Barry Berkman, and his acting coach, Gene Cousineau, played by the legendary Henry Winkler. In the series, Barry was a former marine turned hitman who’s trying to find his purpose and belonging in an acting class led by Cousineau. Despite the coach’s best efforts, Barry’s past would not just leave him to live a peaceful life. His past keeps on overshadowing his will for a better and normal life. Often, this results to crimes being committed by Barry over the course of the show.

Henry Winkler, in a recent interview with Deadline, shed light on the defining moment his character, Cousineau, finally snapped. The tipping point occurred during a hotel scene where Cousineau was confronted and labeled a liar by people he believed trusted him.

“The thing is that I was already in a state, and I had to be in a state in order to not have any idea where I was in time and space. I think I snapped in the scene in the hotel room when I thought it was going to be Mark Wahlberg, and all these people said, “Well, we don’t trust you. We don’t believe you, and you are a liar, and you [killed Janice Moss].” My inability to speak, for a very verbal fellow, I think said it all.

Winkler further elaborated on his character’s mental state during the finale. When Cousineau found himself in his home, he felt his world shrink down to a single focus – the man who had made his life unbearable. Winkler described Cousineau’s self-perception, likening his mind to a house of mirrors, seeing only himself and the betrayal of his “son,” Barry.

Barry, in search of a father figure, found one in Cousineau. However, the relationship took a sinister turn when Cousineau’s girlfriend, Janice Moss, discovered Barry’s criminal involvement, which ultimately led to her death at the hands of Barry, leaving Cousineau devastated​​.

Another integral character was Fuches, portrayed by Stephen Root, Barry’s uncle and the man responsible for introducing him to the world of contract killing. Barry’s desperate attempts to impress Fuches, even at the expense of his own well-being, demonstrated his continued yearning for a paternal figure. However, as the series progressed, Barry’s attitude towards Fuches changed, reflecting his growing independence and disillusionment​​.

Ironically, it was love that sealed Barry’s fate. Escaping from prison, Barry sought out Sally, his romantic interest, hoping to flee together. A time jump of eight years revealed they had a son together, but despite her attempts to break free from a cycle of abusive relationships, Sally was unable to sever her ties with Barry. This led her down a path of regret and a life irrevocably intertwined with Barry’s. The series reached its climax when Barry, searching for his family, encountered a devastated Cousineau, ready to confront his betrayal​.