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What We Do in the Shadows character guide

Who is Guillermo de la Cruz in What We Do in the Shadows?

Nandor's loyal, overworked human familiar, who has spent years serving the Staten Island vampires in hopes of being turned himself, only to discover he descends from the famous vampire hunter Van Helsing.

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Guillermo de la Cruz's Sitcomdle clue card

The five clues the game shows when Guillermo de la Cruz is the answer or a guess.

Show
What We Do in the Shadows
Debut
2019
Network
FX
Role
Main
Gender
Male

Guillermo de la Cruz has not been a daily answer yet. Play today's Sitcomdle.

Show
What We Do in the Shadows
Played by
Harvey Guillén
First episode
“Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired March 27, 2019
Role
Main cast
Network
FX
Occupation
Nandor's familiar and bodyguard
Show run
2019 to 2024
Also known as
Guillermo

Guillermo de la Cruz is the human heart of What We Do in the Shadows, a devoted familiar who cleans up after four vampires and dreams of becoming one. Played by Harvey Guillén, he turns out to be far more dangerous than anyone in the house realizes.

On What We Do in the Shadows, Guillermo de la Cruz's story runs through Nandor the Relentless (Master), Nadja (Housemate), Laszlo Cravensworth (Housemate), and Colin Robinson (Housemate).

Other FX sitcom characters from around the same time include Frank Reynolds (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Charlie Kelly (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia).

Guillermo de la Cruz from What We Do in the Shadows: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Guillermo de la Cruz?

When the series begins, Guillermo has served Nandor as his familiar for about a decade. He handles every chore in the vampires' Staten Island mansion, from finding victims to disposing of bodies, all on the promise that Nandor will someday make him a vampire.

At the end of season one, a DNA test reveals that Guillermo is a descendant of Van Helsing, the legendary vampire hunter. From then on he has a secret talent for killing vampires, and his loyalty to the household is constantly at war with his instincts and his ambitions.

Personality and comedy

Guillermo is the audience's surrogate: the one sane person in a house of monsters. Much of his comedy comes from deadpan looks into the documentary camera as the vampires do something absurd, and from how much abuse he quietly absorbs while insisting he is fine.

He is earnest, capable, and stronger than he looks. As the seasons go on, he learns to stand up for himself, and his complicated bond with Nandor, part employer, part best friend, part something deeper, becomes the show's central relationship.

Key storylines

In season two, Guillermo secretly kills a string of vampires sent to attack the house, and in the season finale he storms a vampire theater to rescue his housemates, revealing his slayer skills to everyone. In season three, he serves as bodyguard to the newly formed local Vampiric Council. In season four, he comes out as gay to his family at a dinner where Nadja poses as his girlfriend.

Fed up with waiting, Guillermo leaves at the end of season four and pays Derek, a hapless vampire he knows, to turn him. The transformation is slow and strange through much of season five. In the season finale he briefly becomes a full vampire, realizes he would rather stay human, and Nandor stakes Derek to reverse the change. In the final season, he takes a mailroom job at the private equity firm Cannon Capital Strategies, quits after being passed over for a promotion, and forms a new partnership with Nandor.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Harvey Guillén played Guillermo for all six seasons. He won an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actor in Comedy Television and earned multiple Critics' Choice and Saturn nominations for the role.

Guillermo's arc from put-upon servant to vampire hunter to his own man made him one of the most beloved characters on the show and gave the series its emotional throughline.

Key Guillermo de la Cruz episodes

  1. “Ancestry”Season 1, Episode 10Guillermo learns he is a descendant of Van Helsing.
  2. “Nouveau Théâtre des Vampires”Season 2, Episode 10Guillermo storms a vampire theater, kills most of the vampires, and saves his housemates.
  3. “The Prisoner”Season 3, Episode 1Guillermo becomes bodyguard to the new local Vampiric Council.
  4. “Pine Barrens”Season 4, Episode 7Guillermo comes out as gay at a family dinner.
  5. “Sunrise, Sunset”Season 4, Episode 10Guillermo leaves the house and hands Derek a suitcase of money to turn him into a vampire.
  6. “Exit Interview”Season 5, Episode 10Guillermo chooses to be human, and Nandor stakes Derek to reverse the turning.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Guillermo de la Cruz: frequently asked questions

Who plays Guillermo in What We Do in the Shadows?

Harvey Guillén plays Guillermo de la Cruz in all six seasons of the FX series.

Is Guillermo related to Van Helsing?

Yes. In the season one finale, "Ancestry," a DNA test reveals that Guillermo is a descendant of the vampire hunter Van Helsing.

Does Guillermo become a vampire?

Briefly. At the end of season four he pays Derek to turn him. In the season five finale, "Exit Interview," he decides he would rather be human, and Nandor stakes Derek to undo the change.

How long has Guillermo been Nandor's familiar?

Guillermo has been Nandor's familiar for about a decade when the series begins.

Does Guillermo come out in What We Do in the Shadows?

Yes. In season four's "Pine Barrens," Guillermo comes out as gay to his family at a dinner where Nadja is posing as his girlfriend.

Test yourself: Guillermo de la Cruz quiz

5 questions about Guillermo de la Cruz. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    What is Guillermo's job in the house when the series begins?

    1. Butler
    2. Bodyguard
    3. Nandor's familiar
    4. Night watchman
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Nandor's familiar

    Guillermo has served Nandor as a familiar for years, all in the hope of finally being made a vampire. He does the chores, fetches victims, and gets almost no thanks.

    See question 3 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    In the season 1 finale, Guillermo learns he is descended from which famous vampire hunter?

    1. Buffy Summers
    2. Blade
    3. Van Helsing
    4. Simon Belmont
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Van Helsing

    In "Ancestry," Guillermo discovers he is a descendant of Van Helsing. That bloodline goes on to give him a real talent for slaying vampires, which is awkward for someone who wants to become one.

    See question 7 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    How many wishes does the Djinn from the lamp owe Nandor?

    1. 3
    2. 52
    3. 37
    4. 100
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 52

    Guillermo and Nandor find the Djinn in "The Lamp," and he owes Nandor 52 wishes. Nandor promptly spends some resurrecting his 37 dead wives so he can pick one to remarry.

    See question 18 in the full quiz

  4. Question 4

    Who plays Guillermo de la Cruz in What We Do in the Shadows?

    1. Harvey Guillén
    2. Ron Howard
    3. Sarah Chalke
    4. Neil Patrick Harris
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Harvey Guillén

    Harvey Guillén plays Guillermo de la Cruz.

  5. Question 5

    In what year did Guillermo de la Cruz first appear on What We Do in the Shadows?

    1. 2019
    2. 2013
    3. 2015
    4. 2017
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 2019

    Guillermo de la Cruz debuted in 2019, in "Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1). That year is the Debut clue in the game.

Take the full What We Do in the Shadows quiz (20 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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