why the parenthesis around the data type?

Question

just wondering why this arguments data type has parenthesis around it? here is the code. the part in question is in red.

 public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            int length = Talker.BlaBlaBla(textBox1.Text, (int) numericUpDown1.Value);
            MessageBox.Show("length is: " + length, "# of times");
        }


also, if its any help, here is the class code that goes with it.:

class Talker
    {
        public static int BlaBlaBla(string thingToSay, int numberOfTimes)
        {
            string finalString = "";
            for (int count = 1; count <= numberOfTimes; count++)
            {
                finalString = finalString + thingToSay + "\n";
            }
            MessageBox.Show(finalString, "text to say");
            return finalString.Length;
        }