Once the time jump had occurred, I had begun to wonder, is the series going to end with John restarting the cycle? Seeing as Barry met Fuches when he was young.

Oh, that's a good observation. I like that. Yeah. That could have gone. I think that Fuches hands off John, and within five seconds, he's got a new guy that he's going to turn into a Barry. I don't think there's any doubt about it. I think he'll be a little better at it with his newfound confidence, but he'll go back to exactly what he wants to do. 

It feels both surprising and inevitable that Fuches survives. He's had so many near-death experiences in the series.

We talked about it, who was going to survive this thing. I was surprised that it was Fuches, I got to say. He could have easily gone. But again, the brilliance of this show is no one's safe, and I think it ended like it should have ended. I really do.

Fuches isn't part of the epilogue [in which an older John watches a movie fictionalizing the events of the series]. Do you think Fuches knows that movie exists, and if so, is he annoyed he's not a character? 

[laughing] Well, the second part of the question is probably correct. He's probably annoyed. I think he does know and I think he probably was annoyed that he wasn't in it. He said, "I know this is all bulls**t, but I should've been in it." I think that's funny. So yeah, I think he would've wanted to be in it.

Bill Hader's done such a remarkable job directing, both in the finale and throughout the series. As I was watching the finale, I remembered that you've worked with another notable sketch-comedy performer who shifted to directing: Jordan Peele with "Get Out". As an actor, have you found similarities in how Hader and Peele direct actors, even with such different material? 

Yeah, I think there's a lot of similarities. Jordan knew exactly what he wanted to do, even though this was his first movie, he'd been on camera, he'd been behind the camera so much. He knew exactly what he wanted to do. So did Bill. Bill came into town not wanting to be an actor, but wanting to be a director and starting as a PA to learn how to direct and to learn lenses.

I found them very similar in terms of being specific about what they wanted. When I was doing "Get Out," [Peele] had very, very specific notes about where he wanted me to look, as a blind character, that it really came off that well. And whatever he wanted to do, I was fine to do it. I really love to be directed. I love to give [a director] my gut and then, please direct me in the direction where you want to go. They both did that. And they were both collaborative in the sense that, "Is that where you were thinking of?" "Yeah, that's where I'm thinking. And maybe this or maybe that." But they're both incredibly collaborative, to the point of storyboarding everything, even if it was only in their head and maybe not on paper.

Of course. I appreciate you making time, especially as you're overseas. 

Of course, my pleasure. It's getting a little sad to end it up, but again, I think these people will be with me as we go forward in life. So I don't feel bad about that.

I know you hear this often, but it's a remarkable performance on your part. I have my fingers tightly crossed for one more Emmy nomination for you in the coming months.

Oh, thank you. I very much appreciate that.