Neil Patrick Harris becomes Captain Sham in new Unfortunate Events pic

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS will probably be the next huge Netflix show to come out, if not for the beloved source material, then for the beloved star—Neil Patrick Harris. The man is a true talent, with a vast catalog of roles at his back, ranging from sitcoms (HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER) to intense thrillers (GONE GIRL). But his upcoming role as Count Olaf will probably go down as one of his biggest, one reason being the character’s many fancy disguises.

Harris took to Twitter to show off one of his character’s various, uh, characters that he inhabits to act out his dastardly deeds. The character in particular is that of Captain Sham (from the third book, THE WIDE WINDOW), the rugged ol’ sea dweller, fit with eyepatch and pipe. Take a look below!

I’m giving you sneaks peeks all week counting down to the @Unfortunate trailer release on Thursday. Prepare to swoon: Here’s Captain Sham. pic.twitter.com/SNvyzb1sFW

— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) November 14, 2016

As you may have noticed in the caption a new trailer for the show will debut on Thursday, and we will no doubt see more of Olaf and the unlucky Baudelaire children (Malina Weissman and Louis Hynes). Even the author of the books, Daniel Handler got in on the game, showing pictures of characters Dr. Georgina Orwell (Catherine O’Hara) and Justice Strauss (Joan Cusack), again reminding us of the Thursday trailer:

A first look at Justice Strauss and Dr. Orwell. Later this week, the @Unfortunate trailer. pic.twitter.com/8ynBSs6Y52

— Daniel Handler (@DanielHandler) November 14, 2016

When it comes to Olaf I think Harris has the right theatricality to make a great, over-the-top Olaf. However, I’m not really feeling the character’s make-up, which compared to the Oscar-winning make-up done on Jim Carrey in the film version just looks…bulbous. Granted, it will all come down to the performance, and Harris will no doubt do a good job. If he doesn’t, then he’ll at least have a fancy fake nose to hang in his foyer.

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS will debut sometime in 2017.