Hannah Waddingham is an Emmy-winning actress currently known for her role as Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso, which is one of the best shows on AppleTV+. However, die-hard Game of Thrones fans likely remember her for her brief stint as Septa Unella (a.k.a the nun who utters “shame”) on the popular HBO fantasy show. Waddingham has admitted that she still gets recognized from GOT sometimes, despite the brevity of her role, but said encounters can apparently get a bit wild.
In a recent interview with The Zoe Report (opens in new tab), Hannah Waddingham opened up about her time on Game of Thrones as well as the occasional instance in which she gets spotted due to the role. It sounds like it only happens when she hasn’t really prepared for one, as the Ted Lasso star explained:
I only get recognized as Septa Unella when I haven’t got any make-up on.
The actress also recalled a specific instance when she was recognized for the character, and it happened when she was on an early morning flight, with her then-18-month old child. She happened to be en route to shoot Game of Thrones‘ sixth season when she happened to be spotted, and things played out somewhat awkwardly:
You can imagine what that was like, trying to get her to take her bottle. I was just totally in mommy mode, and this guy sitting next to me went, ‘Would I be right in thinking you can ring my bell?’ I was like, ‘My God, note to self: Put a little lipstick on next time.’
Flight attendants have also caught the actress off guard on flights and proceed to to chat with her about her GOT role, even when she’s traveling on a red-eye. While this may seem invasive, as the interviewer pointed out, the television star has fun with it:
It’s quite fun, though. You’re all holed up, and they don’t say it in a horrible way. They say it in a lovely, cheeky way, and then they leave you alone and give you a really lovely drink.
I’m glad that she finds the joy in these seemingly strange fan interactions. When you travel, you want to be comfortable, especially when you’re accompanied by young children. But let’s be honest, who wouldn’t be hyped when crossing paths with her? Even Ted Lasso co-star Brett Goldstein was starstruck by the actress when they first met.
Fans of the sports dramedy would most likely recognize a more done-up Hannah Waddington, whose character on the Apple TV+ show is always stylish and chic. She herself is also known for her sweet fashion moments, which is completely different from her nun character who shamed Cersei on Game of Thrones. Waddingham has been called her a sex symbol, which she has funny thoughts on. Her star will likely continue to rise, but don’t expect her to forget her Thrones roots. I’m sure the continuous fan reactions will ensure that. (Plus, she also kept one of the most memorable character accessories from GOT, the “shaming” bell.)
Fans can revisit Hannah Waddington’s work on Game of Thrones by using an HBO Max subscription to stream past episodes. The actress also plays a key role in this Halloween flick Hocus Pocus 2, which is also streaming for Disney+ subscribers. In addition, Ted Lasso is set to return to AppleTV+ very soon for its third (and possibly final) season. For more information on shows returning to streaming in the near future, make sure to check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule.
