Best known for his hilarious work in Flight Of The Conchords, stand-up, actor and writer Rhys Darby now has his own eight-part mockumentary series, Short Poppies, available from today on Netflix.
Speaking to our own Craig Fitzpatrick in the latest issue of Hot Press (Paolo Nutini cover, also out today), the New Zealander spoke about his latest work, and gave his heartfelt reaction to the tragic passing of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The pair worked together on Richard Curtis' 2009 pirate radio-based comedy The Boat That Rocked.
Darby says the news of Hoffman's death in February floored him.
"It was a total shock because I knew nothing of his drug past," Darby says. "Or, as it was, present. Having hung out with the guy and his kids on set when we were filming that, I didn't know anything. I know that he had separated from his partner or something, but I just didn't see it. It just goes to show that there's no profile for that. It is what it is and it happens in private. A total shock. This was a guy who was at the top of his game, the top of his art. And yet, struggled with addiction and lost the battle. Blown away by it really. Very sad, very sad."

On a lighter note, he also has good things to say about fellow The Boat That Rocked star Chris O'Dowd. Though the comedian does suggest – in jest – that he should have been the one becoming an unlikely Hollywood heartthrob rather than O'Dowd.

"I was more annoyed than anything, that it was him rather than me!" Darby jokes. "'Cos I know he took one role that I let go of when I had my second son. I got a part on some film – I can't remember what it was now, it didn't do very well – but it was taking those steps. And then I found out that he took the role. I thought, 'alright, that's ok, I like Chris, he's a great guy'. And then literally six months later he landed something else, and landed something else, as is the way in Hollywood. And I'm thinking, 'no, my God, that could have been me! It could have been me in Bridesmaids! Because he kept his accent and everything. No, I thought it was fantastic actually. Good on him."

For more with Rhys Darby, pick up the new issue of Hot Press, on sale now.