‘What We Do in the Shadows’: 17 Guest Stars We Need to See in the Final Season
What We Do in the Shadows returns for its sixth and final season on Monday, October 21, and while it’s going to be difficult to bid our favorite Staten Island-based vampire roommates farewell, there are a few familiar faces we’d like to see before the mockumentary cameras are shut off for good.
While the series is as funny as ever with Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), and The Guide (Kristen Schaal) at the center of the comedy, FX‘s series has had plenty of guest stars pop up over the years that we’re dying to revisit. Although some are quite impossible, such as Patton Oswalt and Sofia Coppola, who died onscreen while playing themselves in the series, there are several other potential candidates we’re hopeful might make a comeback for the final installments.
Scroll down for a closer look at some of What We Do in the Shadows‘ best guest stars we’d like to see back in the final season, and let us know who you want to see return in the comments section.
What We Do in the Shadows, Season 6 Premiere, Monday, October 21, 10/9c, FX (Next day on Hulu)
Anthony Atamanuik & Marissa Jaret Winokur
Certainly among the most likely candidates for a return, Anthony Atamanuik and Marissa Jaret Winokur, who play human neighbors Sean and Charmaine Rinaldi, are always welcome additions. After their “Pride Parade” celebration in Season 5, we’re eager to see if they’ll share any more celebrations with the vamps.
Nick Kroll
Playing Simon the Devious, Nick Kroll has been a fairly steady guest star on What We Do in the Shadows since the series’ first season. In his last appearance in Season 4 with the memorable episode, “Go Flip Your House,” Simon is seen hosting a home renovation series under a disguise, all as a ploy to steal back the witch skin hat in Laszlo’s possession. The cursed accessory continues to live up to its reputation when Simon finds himself caught up in an explosion. But when it comes to the undead characters in this series, the potential for a return is not out of the question.
Jemaine Clement, Jonny Brugh & Taika Waititi
Essentially the original trio of the What We Do in the Shadows franchise, Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Jonny Brugh were officially introduced as Viago, Vladislav, and Deacon in the 2014 film of the same name. Since the show’s premiere, they’ve appeared on and off, reprising their roles as the New Zealand-based vampire roommates who are involved with the Vampiric Council when Season 1 debuted. It would only make sense to see these vamps resurface, considering they’re essentially the reason this show exists.
Beanie Feldstein
While she was more of a series regular in Season 1, Beanie Feldstein‘s Jenna hasn’t appeared since, making the final season a perfect opportunity for a return. A college student and LARPer, Jenna was persuaded to visit the vampires under familiar Guillermo’s suggestion as he sought out virgins for the supernatural beings to feast on. Ultimately, the fateful event sees Jenna bitten and she eventually transforms into a vampire. Although she doesn’t stick around, there’s room for her to visit, right?
Jake McDorman
Whether you know him as Gregor or Jeff, Jake McDorman is one of the more memorable guest stars from Seasons 1 and 2. While he plays the seemingly average Jeff, Nadja is insistent he’s her reincarnated lover, Gregor, who she’d connected with several times over the years. After some supernatural scheming, she uncovers his memories and Jeff ultimately remembers his past lives as Gregor, but he is decapitated in an accident. He then goes on to return as a ghost. Could he return as the specter in Season 6? Only time will tell.
Mark Hamill
Star Wars legend Mark Hamill stepped in to play Jim the Vampire in Season 2, seeking repayment from Laszlo after a deal gone wrong in the past. Rather than face the consequences, Laszlo runs away, assuming his alter ego as “regular human” bartender Jackie Daytona. Eventually, Jim does catch up with him, but the vamps smooth out their differences. Perhaps it’s time for Jim to make another appearance.
Haley Joel Osment
When it comes to playing Nadja and Laszlo’s human familiar Topher, Haley Joel Osment‘s character isn’t particularly great at his job. Ultimately, he’s shocked to death and brought back to life as a zombie, living out his days with the necromancer Wallace (Benedict Wong). Topher makes a triumphant return at the end of Season 5, proving he’s taking the zombie life in stride, even if his body is beginning to fall apart. Considering his ties to the necromancer, we’re hopeful for a group resurfacing.
Benedict Wong & Chris Sandiford
As mentioned above, Wong plays the necromancer, and Chris Sandiford‘s Derek is sent to live with him and Topher at the end of Season 5 after the vamp is staked through the heart in a ritual. A former human friend of Guillermo’s Derek has been an off-and-on guest star since Season 2. While Derek’s send-off in Season 5 is satisfying, it would be nice to see him one last time alongside his new caretaker who brought him back to undead life.
Aida Turturro
In Season 3, Aida Turturro steps in to play Gail, the on-and-off girlfriend of Nandor. Resparking their affair after some years, Gail has a secret she’d been hiding as it is revealed she is a werewolf. When the vampires and werewolves face off against one another in a game of kickball inspired by Twilight‘s famous baseball sequence, Gail is nearly killed after being hit by a ball. Ultimately, Nandor bites her, transforming her into a strange vampire-werewolf hybrid creature. While she doesn’t stick around for long, she’s surely still out there, poised for a potential return.
Doug Jones
A semi-regular guest star, Doug Jones plays the Baron Afanas, and although he’s been seen in several different states over the seasons, we’ll gladly accept him in any form as long as we get him back on television—preferably alongside The Sire and their pet Guillermo-frog hybrids.
Vanessa Bayer
First appearing in Season 1, Vanessa Bayer‘s emotional vampire, Evie, is almost a perfect match for energy vampire Colin Robinson, but after a brief workplace affair, the duo part ways before briefly reuniting in Season 5 for Colin’s run for a political office. During their brief reunion, Evie does her best to suck as much power from the individuals around her but proves she can’t be entirely faithful to plans made with Colin. It would be fun to see them share one last scene together if given the opportunity.
Cree Summer
Playing Jan, Cree Summer makes viewers giggle with her portrayal of the vampire cult leader who persuades her followers to live like humans. One daily ritual involves removing their fangs, and Nandor is briefly swayed to join the cult in Season 3 until Guillermo intervenes. While Jan’s followers begin to question their purpose, she convinces them to step into sunlight where they perish to death, leaving her with a clean slate to start anew. Perhaps her new cult could make a Season 6 appearance. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.
Anoop Desai
Whenever a genie is involved with a plotline, chaos and comedy are sure to ensue, and that’s essentially been the case every time Anoop Desai has guest-starred as the Djinn. After his run in Season 4 and brief appearance in Season 5, we can’t help but hope his wish-granting days for Nandor aren’t fully over.
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