“It was the weirdest thing”: Hannah Waddingham Reveals One Reason Why Her Emmy-winning Role in Ted Lasso Was “Hugely Cathartic”
In 2020, Apple TV+’s show Ted Lasso was a big surprise hit. The show follows an American football coach trying to turn around a struggling English soccer team. People loved the show because of its upbeat and funny tone.
But for Hannah Waddingham, who played the team’s owner Rebecca Welton, the role was more than just acting. It was more of a healing experience for her. Fans might remember Waddingham as the stern Septa Unella from Game of Thrones.
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So, going from playing a serious and scary character to a funny and lively one shows how versatile she is as an actress. This change also shows how acting can be a powerful way to grow and heal.
Ted Lasso was a Weird but Liberating Experience for Hannah Waddingham
Hannah Waddingham, who had made a name for herself with her performances on London’s West End stages, found playing Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso to be a special experience. At the start of the show, Rebecca is a tough and cynical character who wants to get back at her ex-husband by sabotaging the soccer team he loves.
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In an interview on Sunday Sitdown, the British star shared that playing a character who had experienced verbal abuse was surprisingly liberating for her. It seems that stepping into Rebecca’s shoes allowed Waddingham to explore and express emotions in a way that was freeing. The actress said of her Emmy-winning character:
“It was the weirdest thing of feeling her rippling through my bloodstream. People wouldn’t expect me to have had that kind of verbally abusive relationship with someone, so it was hugely cathartic as well for me.”
This emotional release shows how therapeutic acting can be. By stepping into the shoes of someone who had experienced something similar to her own past, Waddingham was able to process those feelings in a safe and controlled setting.
Game of Thrones Creators Helped Hannah Waddingham Secure the Role of Rebecca Welton
Hannah Waddingham’s journey to Ted Lasso took an interesting turn. While she had a strong background in musical theatre, it was her role as Septa Unella in Game of Thrones that really stood out.
Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were so impressed with her performance that they became her champions. Their support didn’t stop there. Benioff and Weiss introduced the West End Star to the Ted Lasso producers and spoke highly of her, helping her secure the role of Rebecca.
“It was almost like them allowing me in made everyone else prick up a bit,” she said in the same interview. Thanks to the support of GOT creators and her own skills, Ms. Waddingham secured the role of Rebecca.
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Watch Ted Lasso on Apple TV.
