Hannah Waddingham has become a fan favorite, thanks to her standout role as Rebecca Welton on “Ted Lasso“. But her journey to the screen started long before that.
Born in London to a musical family—her mom was an opera singer—Waddingham was drawn to performing early on. She trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts and made her name on the West End, earning acclaim (and an Olivier nod) for roles in productions like Spamalot.
Her big TV break came with “Ted Lasso”, where she plays the strong, complex team owner Rebecca. The role earned her an Emmy and introduced her to a whole new audience. And now, with a fourth season of the show in the works, Waddingham couldn’t be more excited to return.
“It feels like it was the most beautiful, beloved dog that was buried, and now we’ve exhumed it, and I am here for it,” she told Variety at the Smurfs premiere in Los Angeles. “I was hankering and hankering and hankering and hankering to see where Rebecca had gone, where she was going to. She’s my girl. She’s in my bloodstream, so I’m thrilled that it’s been exhumed.”
Beyond “Ted Lasso”, Waddingham has shown her range in roles like Septa Unella in “Game of Thrones” and recently voiced a villain in the “Smurfs” movie. Off screen, she’s become a passionate advocate for mental health and a role model for aspiring performers.
From musical theatre to major streaming success, Hannah Waddingham is proof that talent, resilience, and heart can take you far—and her story’s only getting better.
