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What We Do in the Shadows character guide

Who is Laszlo Cravensworth in What We Do in the Shadows?

The gleefully debauched English vampire of the Staten Island household, Nadja's devoted husband and a lover of topiary, mad science, and anything scandalous, delivered in a booming, plummy voice.

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Laszlo Cravensworth's Sitcomdle clue card

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

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Show
What We Do in the Shadows
Played by
Matt Berry
First episode
“Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired March 27, 2019
Role
Main cast
Network
FX
Occupation
English vampire, dandy, and amateur scientist
Show run
2019 to 2024
Also known as
Laszlo, Jackie Daytona

Laszlo Cravensworth is the flamboyant English nobleman of What We Do in the Shadows, a centuries-old vampire who lives for pleasure and mischief. Played by Matt Berry, in a role written with him in mind, he is crude, vain, and unexpectedly tender.

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

Laszlo Cravensworth from What We Do in the Shadows: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Laszlo Cravensworth?

Laszlo is an aristocratic English vampire who shares a Staten Island mansion with his wife Nadja, the warrior Nandor, and energy vampire Colin Robinson. He comes from a titled family, and his father, Lord Roderick Cravensworth, eventually turns up in ghost form.

He spends his long nights on hobbies: sculpting elaborate and very rude topiary, treasuring the vampire-themed adult films he made long ago, tinkering with the occult, and running increasingly alarming scientific experiments in his workshop. His great love, beyond himself, is Nadja, and their bawdy, devoted marriage is one of the show's constants.

Personality and comedy

Laszlo's comedy is all about delivery. Matt Berry gives him a grand, theatrical voice that makes even the filthiest line sound like Shakespeare, and his odd emphasis on ordinary words became a fan favorite. He is selfish, lazy, and proudly depraved, but he is also clever, loyal, and quietly kind when it matters.

He is the house's chaos agent. Laszlo starts feuds with the local werewolves, hatches bizarre schemes, and treats most problems as a chance to show off. Somehow, he is often the one who comes up with the solution that saves everyone.

Key storylines

In season two, Laszlo flees Jim the Vampire, who wants payment for rent Laszlo skipped out on 167 years earlier, and hides out in a small Pennsylvania town, where he takes over the local bar as Jackie Daytona, a regular human bartender whose only disguise is a toothpick and a pair of jeans. The episode became one of the show's most beloved.

At the end of season three, when a baby emerges from Colin Robinson's body after his death, Laszlo chooses to stay behind and raise the child instead of traveling with the others. His fatherly devotion to Baby Colin drives his season four story. Later seasons find him running hybrid-creature experiments with Guillermo's DNA, sinking into a funk that inspires a roast in his honor, and wrestling with the ghost of his disapproving father.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Jemaine Clement has said the role of Laszlo was written specifically for Matt Berry, already a cult favorite in British comedy. Berry played Laszlo for all six seasons and earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for the season five episode "Pride Parade."

Laszlo's quotable line readings and the Jackie Daytona episode helped turn What We Do in the Shadows from a cult hit into one of FX's most celebrated comedies.

Key Laszlo Cravensworth episodes

  1. “The Orgy”Season 1, Episode 9Laszlo digs out his old vampire adult films, then kills the mood by declaring his love for Nadja in the middle of the orgy.
  2. “On the Run”Season 2, Episode 6Laszlo hides in Pennsylvania as Jackie Daytona, a human bartender.
  3. “The Portrait”Season 3, Episode 10Laszlo stays behind in Staten Island to raise the baby that emerged from Colin's body.
  4. “Reunited”Season 4, Episode 1The household reunites after a year apart and finds Laszlo raising Baby Colin.
  5. “The Roast”Season 5, Episode 8The household roasts a seemingly depressed Laszlo.
  6. “Laszlo's Father”Season 6, Episode 6The ghost of Laszlo's father tries to make amends while secretly trying to possess him.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Famous sitcom couple

Laszlo Cravensworth: frequently asked questions

Who plays Laszlo in What We Do in the Shadows?

Matt Berry plays Laszlo Cravensworth in all six seasons. Creator Jemaine Clement has said the part was written for him.

What episode is Jackie Daytona in?

Laszlo becomes Jackie Daytona in "On the Run," the sixth episode of season two, when he hides in Pennsylvania disguised as a human bartender.

Who is Laszlo married to?

Laszlo is married to Nadja, his fellow vampire and housemate. Their devoted, very bawdy marriage runs through the whole series.

Why does Laszlo raise Baby Colin?

When Colin Robinson dies at the end of season three and a baby emerges from his body, Laszlo stays behind in Staten Island to raise the child.

Was Matt Berry nominated for an Emmy for Laszlo?

Yes. Berry received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for the episode "Pride Parade."

Test yourself: Laszlo Cravensworth quiz

5 questions about Laszlo Cravensworth. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    In which New York City borough do Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja, and Colin Robinson share a house?

    1. Staten Island
    2. Brooklyn
    3. Queens
    4. Manhattan
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Staten Island

    The vampires share a creaky old mansion on Staten Island, the least glamorous of the boroughs for a coven. Across the water, the Manhattan vampires answer to Simon the Devious.

    See question 1 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    Which vampire is married to Laszlo, and is also the one who turned him?

    1. Nadja
    2. The Guide
    3. Jenna
    4. Marwa
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Nadja

    Nadja turned Laszlo into a vampire and later married him, and they remain the house's most dramatic couple. Natasia Demetriou plays her.

    See question 5 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    Which ancient vampire from the Old Country arrives in the pilot with a plan to take over the Western Hemisphere?

    1. Simon the Devious
    2. Jim the Vampire
    3. The Sire
    4. Baron Afanas
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Baron Afanas

    Baron Afanas, played by Doug Jones, believes vampires should rule the world, and the housemates scramble to prepare for his visit in the pilot. He seems to die in sunlight later in season 1, but he turns up again in season 3, badly diminished.

    See question 8 in the full quiz

  4. Question 4

    What name does Laszlo use while hiding out as a beloved small-town Pennsylvania bar owner?

    1. Jackie Daytona
    2. Jimmy Malibu
    3. Johnny Tremain
    4. Danny Laredo
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Jackie Daytona

    In "On the Run," Laszlo hides out in a small Pennsylvania town, picking the state because its name sounds like Transylvania, and runs a bar as a human named Jackie Daytona. The locals adore him, especially for cheering on the girls volleyball team.

    See question 9 in the full quiz

  5. Question 5

    Which lover of Nadja's keeps being reincarnated, only to lose his head in every life?

    1. Anton
    2. Gregor
    3. Sean
    4. Topher
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Gregor

    Gregor, a knight Nadja loved centuries ago, returns in the pilot as a human named Jeff. It later turns out Laszlo has been behind those beheadings all along.

    See question 10 in the full quiz

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

Sources and corrections

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