https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyZi3rJPENs&authuser=0

As many of you know, What We Do in the Shadows was a fun little mockumentary back in 2014 — one that FX saw recreating for the small screen. It follows four vampires who have been roommates for hundreds and hundreds of yours, so you can imagine the tension inherent in the premise. After a few hundred years living with the same people, they’re bound to really get on your nerves. But, things don’t stay stagnant for long.

“After an unexpected visit from their dark lord and leader, ‘Baron Afanas,’ the vampires are reminded of what they were initially tasked with upon their arrival in Staten Island over a hundred years ago – total and complete domination of the New World. But what exactly is the best way to go about achieving said domination? Our vérité camera crew follows along as the vampires set out to answer this query. ”

And it’s on that note that we bring up our interview with actress Gloria Laino. Laino is best known as The Mexican in American Horror Story: Asylum (Season 2) and a cameo in American Horror Story: Apocalypse. She’s also appeared in The Last Ship, Goliath, and Weeds.

In What We Do in the Shadows, she plays Baron’s familiar, and over the course of our conversations, we discuss her role in the show, the difficult aspects of it, and her involvement in FX productions,

LRM Online: So Gloria let’s talk about What We Do in the Shadows. Tell me about your recurring role in this show.

Laino: Sure. I play the Baron’s familiar. It’s a very funny role in that I am the protector of this lord and leader of the vampires. This is a mockumentory style comedy about vampires from the Old World coming in the New World and adjusting to what happens in this era. And Doug Jones from the Shape of Water plays the Baron and I play the Baron’s familiar and assistant to the Baron and a protector.

LRM Online: How was it to get involved in this. Like you said it’s about vampires but with a little comedy in there versus to a little on the vampire dark side. This is new and fun.

Laino: Right, it is. Actually I’ve worked for FX a couple of times in American Horror Story: Asylum I had a recurring role.

LRM Online: Yes.

Laino: And I also came back in Season 8 as a Satan worshiper. So I’ve worked for Mayans as well, I feel like I’m an FX girl. I’ve worked for FX a few times now and I auditioned for this role which is … What We Do in the Shadows is a TV series based on the movie that was made in 2014. And it has a huge following so when I auditioned they were looking for an old, old, old women.

The audition was basically where I would show expressions to what the vampires were doing and saying. It was quite an interesting audition and I laughed when I was in the room. I laughed very, very hard because I thought, “I’m never gonna get this.” There were so many older women that I said, “You know this is not gonna happen.” And funny enough I went to my manager’s office and we were talking about the audition itself and as I was telling them, “Well guys it was wonderful but I don’t think I’m gonna get because I don’t see myself as old, old, old.” And it was interesting that at the same time we were talking about it they got an email offering me the role.

LRM Online: Wow. So it seems like maybe having a gut feeling you might not get it, I think that’s what got you to win the role.

Laino: Well, you know sometimes you just get what you least expect in this business, it’s the nature of the business. That’s why we shouldn’t predict our auditions.

LRM Online: Right. Good point. So this series is gonna come out, it’s gonna start, it’s gonna premiere later this month so all we have is a trailer so is there something you can tell us about what you enjoyed about your character? So that way when we watch we’re like, “Okay, this is Gloria’s character, we want to know more about her.”

Laino: Sure. What’s most enjoyable about this character is that I do not speak.

LRM Online: Oh.

Laino: For the first few episodes that I am in, I only guard and protect the Baron. And that’s simply my job but what’s funny about it is that my face expressions tell it all. I’m consumed with judgment of these people because I feel like they’re not doing what they’re supposed to be according to me. And I’m almost like the guard dog. Nobody can get close to my Baron. And then there are some twists in the story, which of course I can’t get into right now, and something happens to my character that’s even funnier.

LRM Online: Aw, well we’ll have to watch. How did you prepare in this case if for the first … when the first part of the series when you don’t speak? How did you prepare with having to really focus on, like you said, the facial expressions to relate and communicate what you’re feeling or saying or so forth?

Laino: That’s a very interesting question because I found that that was harder to do than having all this dialogue.

LRM Online: Sounds like it, yes.

Laino: Because that’s where you actually put your class into use and you are listening and reacting most totally, but reacting to everything that’s going on. And as an actor that’s one of the things that we learn in this craft that I would say is the most basic things that an actor has to have in order to be successful. And it’s to listen.

LRM Online: Right.

Laino: So in order for me to prepare I just internally heard things that were going on around the house or when I was driving and the radio and I was focusing on listening. That’s quite interesting, focusing on listening.

LRM Online: Well that’s a good way to practice ’cause obviously not everyone is a good listener.

Laino: Yeah, and it goes for almost everything we do in life.

LRM Online: That’s right, that’s right. So going back to working with FX you kinda answered a little bit about what I was going to ask you how it’s like working for FX since you’re like the FX girl that you know … you’ve been on several shows.

Laino: Yes. Repeat that again. We have a little bit of a buzzing sound but if you repeat it I’ll be good.

LRM Online: Sure. So I was asking, you mentioned working with FX and being like an FX girl since you’ve been working on several shows of theirs. So how has it been working with FX?

Laino: I have to say that it’s the most wonderful experience. I feel like I’m almost … it’s almost like part of a family. When you go to set you meet a lot of the crew that you’ve already worked with, it’s just such a wonderful feeling because you don’t feel isolated. You’re just walking into a little family and that’s just wonderful really.

LRM Online: That’s great. That must be a good feeling, to go to work and feel like you’re kinda with family.

Laino: Yes.

LRM Online: So to finalize this interview is there anything you’d like to share with us that you might have upcoming or you may be working on?

Laino: Yes well actually I’m on my way to New York. On Tuesday, March 27 is the premiere of What We Do in the Shadows in New York. Upon my return back to Los Angeles in working in a movie called Option C with a wonderful, talented, actress/writer. Her name is Lourdes Reynold. And Lourdes wrote her journey from almost having a few days to live because of cancer. She went into natural ways of conquering her disease and she has written a wonderful, wonderful movie, a book, and also a documentary. It’s called Option C and it’s about the journey and how she was able to survive this terrible disease. And I am cast in that.

LRM Online: That’s great.

Laino: And I am also cast in … I’ve been cast and I’m an executive producer in a short from a very talented young director called Christopher Daiza. And Christoper is doing a dark comedy, horror short called “Water Dawg.” It’s hilarious and he approached me and I just could not say no. I saw some of his work and he’s wonderful. So those are two things that I’m looking forward to when I come back.

LRM Online: Great, we’ll definitely look forward to seeing you in those projects and I wish you a lot of success and look with What We Do in the Shadows.

What We Do in the Shadows premieres on Wednesday on FX!

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