Hannah Waddingham has finally addressed the long-standing rumours that she was overlooked for a role in the blockbuster film Wicked. The 51-year-old actress, best known for playing Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso, has spoken candidly about the speculation surrounding her potential casting as Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University.
It has been widely rumoured that Waddingham was in contention for the part, which ultimately went to Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh. Yeoh’s portrayal of the power-hungry manipulator earned widespread acclaim. However, Waddingham has now clarified that she never actually auditioned for the role.
Waddingham Sets the Record Straight
Speaking to Variety, Waddingham said: “No, I didn’t [test for the role]. This is the funniest thing. We can put this to bed once and for all.” She recalled a conversation with her friend Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film. “I was like, ‘I think it’s gone.’ She was like, ‘Dude, I think it’s gone as well.’ I would have loved to have been seen for that, but it was a fait accompli, as they say.”
Waddingham’s stage career began in 1998, and she spent over a decade performing in the West End, including roles as the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Despite her musical theatre background, the Wicked film role was not to be.
Ted Lasso Season Four
Waddingham is set to reprise her role as Rebecca Welton in the upcoming fourth season of Ted Lasso, which returns to Apple TV+ this summer. She admitted that the idea of never playing Rebecca again “felt like losing a pal.”
She also discussed working with co-creator Jason Sudeikis, who is known for last-minute script changes. “There’s always going to be a bit of give-and-take within a scene, because of the nature of how Sudeikis works. He hears it in the room, and then we tweak. With that boy, you’ve got to roll with the punches. He and I have an ongoing love-hate relationship that he changes it last minute.”
The new season sees Ted return to Richmond to coach a second-division women’s football team, taking on his biggest challenge yet. The cast includes Juno Temple, Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsey, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern, and Grant Feely.
Mixed Reactions to the Revival
Not everyone is thrilled about the show’s return. Brett Goldstein, who plays Roy Kent, expressed surprise at the renewal. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said: “We buried it. We all cried, we had a funeral. Are you saying we can bring anything back? It’s too much power.”
Nick Mohammed, who plays Nathan Shelley, hinted that season four will focus on new characters. “I know that it's about a whole different set of characters. I can't even talk about it without giving anything away. We'll have to see who pops up where and when. But I know that they're filming it now, and I've been socializing with them all. They’re all very well, so we'll see what happens.”
