If you watched the newest entry into the MCUniverse, Wandavision, then you were probably wondering where you recognize Agnes/Agatha Harkness from. The answer is everywhere but probably in a Paul Rudd movie. Kathryn Hahn, the actor who is bringing life to the character of Agnes/Agatha Harkness, is no stranger to the screen. Being the kind of actor who can blend into any role, Ms. Hahn usually represents the viewer on screen. At the beginning of her career on Crossin Jordan she played the grief counselor Lily Lebowski who allowed many viewers a different perspective on a Medical Examiner’s office.
In her first major film role as Michelle in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, she represented the friend who falls in love so fast and inspires the titular story. As Michelle, she showed she could bring joyous life to a character that most actors would play for pity. The world got their first glimpse of her comedic chops in Step Brothers where her character, Alice, falls for Dale as an escape from her tight-laced husband played by Adam Scott. We got to see her first reject Paul Rudd in Our Idiot Brother and then aggressively pursue him in the underrated comedy Wanderlust.
The world wasn’t ready for her to shine in a starring role when NBC launched the American version of Free Agents, thankfully Parks and Rec needed a campaign manager. NBC brought in Ms. Hahn in the role of fast-talking, DC campaign strategist Jennifer Barkley. She regularly stole scenes from her Step Brothers co-star Adam Scott while managing the rich boy energy of Bobby Newport played by Paul Rudd.
When HBO needed an actor to bring humanity to a person falling in love with another artist while avoiding their failing marriage, they knew Kathryn Hahn was the actor for the role. Her comedic timing and ability to bring warmth to any role made it a challenge to dislike her character. In Private Life, Ms. Hahn took on the role of a woman who just wants to be a mother. From fertility treatments to the trials of adoption and on through the failed implantation of a fertilized donor egg, Ms. Hahn elevates the role to bring the challenges of becoming a mother to light. Acting opposite Paul Giamatti she imbues her character with warmth and kindness even when the character goes behind her sister-in-law’s back to ask her niece for donor eggs.
Private Life’ Trailer: Paul Giamatti & Kathryn Hahn’s Netflix Comedy | IndieWire
In her role as Agnes/Agatha Harkness, Ms. Hahn gets to perform the breadth of American television while her character’s development seems to mirror her career. In the 1960’s themed first and second episodes she plays the goofy neighbor popping in to help when needed, a role she seems to have been playing her entire career. As the series moves on through the 70s and 80s she becomes more of a main character and comedic force. Then you get to the end of the eighth episode and you what all Kathryn Hahn fans have been waiting for, her own theme song! After episode 9 we all know we want more Agatha and more Kathryn Hahn on our TV.
