Hannah Waddingham says an early bad review helped change the course of her career, rather than damaging it. In 2000, after starring in a musical about Toulouse-Lautrec at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre, the production closed early, but critics praised her performance as Suzanne Valadon and one review declared she deserved a better musical. That attention led Andrew Lloyd Webber to cast her in “The Beautiful Game,” which she describes as a pivotal moment in her stage career.
Waddingham recalls meeting Lloyd Webber at his home in central London, where he was already considering how her voice and presence would fit his new project. The role marked an important breakthrough, but it would be more than two decades before a soccer-themed project brought her global fame again. That came with Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso,” where she plays Rebecca Welton, the owner of AFC Richmond.
She says she has always wanted to perform and once studied at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts before leaving to join the immersive dinner show “Joey and Gina’s Wedding” at London’s Café Royal. The chaotic production taught her improvisation and stage instincts, and she says the experience was unforgettable. Now, years later, she found herself back at the Café Royal for the interview, calling it a full-circle moment.
Although Waddingham is strongly associated with musicals, she says she has not appeared in many films in the genre and has long wanted more musical roles. She addressed rumors about “Wicked,” saying she never tested for Madame Morrible and was never actually in contention for the part, which ultimately went to Michelle Yeoh. Still, she says she would love to be considered for more musical projects.
On “Ted Lasso,” Waddingham says she felt season 3 left too much of a cliffhanger for the show to end there, and she is glad it is returning. She describes the cast as a genuine family and says the positive tone of the series is a major reason for its success. She also says she enjoys the platonic, soulmate-like dynamic between Rebecca and Ted, even as fans continue to speculate about a romance.
Outside “Ted Lasso,” Waddingham has worked mostly in voice roles and supporting parts, but she is set to lead “Ride or Die,” a new eight-episode comic drama opposite Octavia Spencer. She says the project required her to perform most of her own stunts and nearly exhausted her. Waddingham adds that she is now at a point in her career where she can choose projects more selectively, though her busy schedule sometimes forces her to turn roles down.
She also voices concern about artificial intelligence being used to manipulate actors’ performances, saying no performer should allow that. Protective of her privacy, Waddingham says she prefers to focus on her work rather than public commentary. Away from acting, she remains centered on her 11-year-old daughter and supports Make-a-Wish U.K., saying helping critically ill children and their families is something she is proud to back.
