Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham

It’s a unique challenge for an actor to play a villain in a movie or TV show that isn’t just compelling to watch, but also a person you can sympathize with and maybe even relate to. Hannah Waddingham successfully does this in her role on the hit sitcom Ted Lasso. She plays the character of Rebecca in the series, the new owner of a professional soccer team in England. In the role of Rebecca, she commands authority, but almost always with vulnerability peeking through. She balances pain, anger, and compassion in a way that it’s impossible to imagine anyone else playing the role. She’s up for an Emmy for her part in the show, and if you’ve seen it, it’s not hard to imagine why. Hannah Waddingham joins guest host Linda Holmes of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour to chat about her role in Ted Lasso. Plus, she talks about her years of performing in theater and even shares what it’s like to perform in an award-winning musical when a mouse is stuck in your dress.