This article contains spoilers for the FX television series What We Do in the ShadowsA quirky comedy show about socially awkward vampires needs a human character to contrast the bloodsucker behavior, and in this case, it’s Guillermo de la Cruz. The creator of the TV version of What We Do in the Shadows, Jemaine Clement, tells The Hollywood Reporter that they “hadn’t explored the master-familiar thing very much in the [original 2014] film,” and this was an opportunity to do so.
Clement developed Guillermo as a “good assistant” who, although hard-working, is unlikely to get promoted. Guillermo operates as the familiar to 700-year-old Nandor the Relentless and often cleans up after Nandor and his other vampire roommates. Guillermo is extremely underappreciated, but he continues to work diligently because he hopes that one day Nandor will turn him into a vampire. While Guillermo hardly defends himself and is desperate to be an immortal being, his character later grows into someone we never expected: a proud and confident vampire slayer.
Guillermo’s transformation over the course of four seasons is satisfying, considering he starts out as a soft-spoken servant with little passion for anything other than becoming a vampire. Gradually, however, we learn more about his background and his identity outside of being a familiar. The growth of Guillermo’s character is partly due to the actor who portrays him, Harvey Guillen. Guillen tells Adrienne Estenfeld of Esquire that when the writers were coming up with Guillermo’s character, he had no last name. Guillen insisted the character be “complete and whole” and gave Guillermo the last name “de la Cruz,” meaning “of the cross.” The rounding out of Guillermo’s character has been a slow burn but well worth the wait. Here is how Guillermo transitioned from a shy familiar to a badass human being and vampire killer.
Guillermo’s Background
It is clear that Guillermo had a specific idea of who he wanted to be and was willing to sacrifice a lot to get there. According to Harvey Guillen, when Guillermo was young he “liked things that weren’t necessarily masculine by society,” and vampires represented everything he idolized meaning power, sex, and immortality. Guillen tells Esquire that “what Guillermo has been planning for himself wasn’t meant for him,” and that he is slowly recognizing an unexpected path. Guillermo de la Cruz is Latino and was raised Catholic by his mother, Silvia. As a child, he idolized Antonio Banderas in Interview with a Vampire. At the end of Season Two, Guillermo discovers that he is part Mestizo and a descendant of Van Helsing, the vampire slayer.
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Despite the brief look at Guillermo’s family life at the end of Season Two, his relationship with culture and his mother is not rushed. According to Esquire, it was important to Guillen that the actress who played Guillermo’s mother be of Mexican descent, speak Spanish, and that the background would include specific items connected to their their Latino roots and Catholicism. Guillen expressed that “little things like this matter to someone and make them feel represented."
Guillermo’s Style as Vampire Slayer
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There is an obvious change in Guillermo’s attitude when he discovers he is connected to Van Helsing. Of course, there are dangerous vampires coming to harm his vampire friends, and he's obviously going to do what he can to protect them. But he also gains some attitude knowing he is related to a badass vampire slayer. His confidence comes through not only in his interactions but also in his sweaters.
If you compare his outfits in the first season to more recent episodes, you will notice a significant difference. Guillen describes Guillermo as “blending into the wall” in the first season, but in more recent installments he is wearing bright and bold patterns. The change is deliberate and an excellent representation of Guillermo’s newfound power. He is now choosing to be seen.
Guillermo Looks for Love
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While Guillermo has acquired power via his new identity as a vampire hunter, he has also found confidence in his sexuality and who he chooses to love. In Season Three, when Lazlo and Nadja ask who Guillermo is interested in, Guillermo answers that this is “private.” However, Guillermo seems to become more honest about his love interests as time goes on. Being surrounded by four vampires who show interest in men, women, and orgies, Guillermo has the ultimate support group for discovering who he is. Harvey Guillen tells Esquire that in What We Do in the Shadows, “being queer isn’t what defines the characters; it’s just natural, as it should be”.
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There is never any judgment about the vampires’ sexual escapades, and Guillermo is beginning to recognize there shouldn’t be any judgment about what he does either. Considering Guillermo’s heritage, his bold new style, and his exploration of love, his recently discovered power and confidence extend a lot deeper than we think. Guillermo represents people who have been unrepresented coming into focus and power. Harvey Guillen explains to Esquire that a lot of fans were excited to see a Latinx character they could relate to. Guillen says that “if you don’t see yourself represented on television and film, you have to become the first.” What We Do in the Shadows is currently available for streaming on Disney+.
