Hannah Waddingham Denies Wicked Audition, Talks Ted Lasso Return and New Series

The Story

In a single-source interview with Variety, Hannah Waddingham addressed longstanding rumors about her involvement in the film adaptation of “Wicked,” stating she did not test for the role of Madame Morrible. She revealed that she had discussed the part with Cynthia Erivo, but they discovered Michelle Yeoh had already been cast. Waddingham also discussed her return to the role of Rebecca Welton in the upcoming fourth season of “Ted Lasso,” saying she suspected the show would continue given the third season’s cliffhanger ending. She leads a new action comedy series “Ride or Die,” set to premiere on Prime Video on July 15, starring opposite Octavia Spencer. Waddingham said she performed nearly 80% of her own stunts on the show. She reflected on her career beginnings, including a 2000 musical that closed early but earned her praise that led to a role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Beautiful Game.” Waddingham also voiced strong opposition to the use of artificial intelligence in manipulating performances.

Key Facts

• Waddingham did not test for the role of Madame Morrible in “Wicked”; she talked to Cynthia Erivo but Michelle Yeoh had already been cast.
• She stars as Judith in the new eight-episode comedy series “Ride or Die,” which debuts on Prime Video on July 15.
• Waddingham performed nearly 80% of her own stunts on “Ride or Die.”
• “Ted Lasso” was the most-watched streaming original of 2023 per Nielsen, with 283 million viewing hours.
• Waddingham said she suspected a fourth season of “Ted Lasso” due to the third season’s cliffhanger.
• She credits a 2000 musical performance for catapulting her career; Andrew Lloyd Webber then handpicked her for “The Beautiful Game.”
• Waddingham is a single parent to an 11-year-old daughter.
• She opposes the use of AI in manipulating actor performances, saying no actor should allow that.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

The specific musical film role Waddingham is holding out for was not revealed.

Misconceptions

The article directly addressed the misconception that Waddingham tested for the role of Madame Morrible in “Wicked”; she confirmed she did not.

Key Figures

• Hannah Waddingham: actress, plays Rebecca Welton on “Ted Lasso” and Judith on “Ride or Die”
• Cynthia Erivo: actress, friend of Waddingham
• Michelle Yeoh: actress, cast as Madame Morrible in “Wicked”
• Andrew Lloyd Webber: theater impresario
• Octavia Spencer: actress, co-star in “Ride or Die”
• Jason Sudeikis: co-creator of “Ted Lasso,” plays Ted
• Brett Goldstein: actor on “Ted Lasso,” described as a fan of Waddingham

Sources: Variety