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Entertainment200 words2 min read

Hannah Waddingham's Role Before Ted Lasso: A Game of Thrones Villain

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Hannah Waddingham is well known today for her role in the show Ted Lasso, where she plays a kind and strong character. However, before this success, she had a very different acting job.

Waddingham once played a villain in Game of Thrones, one of the most popular television series in recent years. This role showed a darker side of her acting skills.

A villain is a character who does bad things in a story. Playing this kind of character requires different skills than playing a friendly one.

Many performers take on very different roles during their careers. This helps them show their full range as actors and avoid being seen as only one type of character.

Waddingham's move from a Game of Thrones villain to a likeable character in Ted Lasso is a good example of this kind of change. It shows how versatile an actor can be.

Fans who only know her from Ted Lasso may be surprised to learn about her earlier work. Looking at an actor's full filmography often reveals surprising differences between roles.

This kind of variety is common in the entertainment industry, where actors often play many different types of characters throughout their careers.

Vocabulary7 words

villain
a bad character in a story
series
many connected shows or episodes
character
a person in a story or show
performers
people who act, sing, or entertain
versatile
able to do many different things well
filmography
a list of all the movies or shows someone has been in
industry
a whole area of business or work

Quiz

1. What is Hannah Waddingham best known for today?
2. What does the article say about Waddingham's Game of Thrones role?
3. True or False: The article suggests that playing very different roles shows an actor's versatility.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Hannah Waddingham is well known today for her role in the show Ted Lasso, where she plays a kind and strong _____.

However, before this success, she had a very different acting job. Waddingham once played a _____ in Game of Thrones, one of the most popular television _____ in recent years.

This role showed a darker side of her acting skills. A villain is a character who does bad things in a story.

Many _____ take on very different roles during their careers. This helps them show their full range as actors.

Waddingham's move from a Game of Thrones villain to a likeable character in Ted Lasso shows how _____ an actor can be.

Looking at an actor's full _____ often reveals surprising differences between roles.

This kind of variety is common in the entertainment _____, where actors often play many different types of characters.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think actors enjoy playing very different types of characters?
  2. Have you seen either Ted Lasso or Game of Thrones? What did you think of the characters?
  3. Why might fans be surprised to learn about an actor's earlier roles?
  4. Do you think playing a villain is harder or easier than playing a likeable character? Why?

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