When Neil Patrick Harris landed the fabled role of Count Olaf in the Netflix adaptation of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" (ASOUE), the fandom had mixed reactions. Comparisons between him and Jim Carrey couldn't be helped since the latter actor portrayed Olaf in the 2004 movie adaptation. So how will the Olaf for the ASOUE TV show be any different?
Neil Patrick Harris as Olaf in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" looks exactly similar to Jim Carrey's appearance when the latter starred in the movie version. He has the same spikey receding silver-grey hair, unibrow, bearded chin and fake nose, and he wears identical raggedy clothes. Per the Independent, the appearance is exactly how Lemony Snicket describes Olaf in the books as "tall, thin and dirty."
Olaf is supposed to look unpleasantly sinister and detestable to reflect his characterization as the story's villain. Neil Patrick Harris' makeup and costume in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" has this down to do pat. But what about the attitude?
Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf has to be the most right thing in my life rn pic.twitter.com/ebG5rSBNkn
— Olivia Smugala (@LivSmugs) September 1, 2016
Though clips and teasers from Netflix's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" production have yet to come out to show Neil Patrick Harris' take on the role, fans are already drawing up their own ideas based on early photo releases of Harris as Olaf. It looks like, beyond the costume and makeup, Neil Patrick Harris also constantly wears a scoff and a scowl when in character. Harris' Olaf hints that his take will be darker and creepier, as it was in the books.
A 2004 review of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by the San Francisco Gate cited that Jim Carrey's Olaf was "funnier and less threatening than he is in the Snicket books." While Carrey played the part so well, the movie had a less intimidating tone to it, done deliberately to appeal commercially.
However, in toning down Olaf's viciousness, Carrey became a more comical caricature of Olaf. Fans of the children's literature are hoping the Netflix series will do Olaf right this time, because the ASOUE movie wasn't able to capture the character's essence best. Olaf is supposedly one of literature's meanest villains, per Scholastic.
"A Series of Unfortunate Events" on Netflix has already finished filming and it's in the middle of post-production. It is estimated that the show will be launched on the streaming site in early 2017. The series was first announced as in development in 2014, per Deadline.
