Hannah Waddingham's Prime Video Series Proves The Ted Lasso Star Has Action Hero Chops

"Ted Lasso" star Hannah Waddingham can do it all. She can sing, she can act, and she looks incredible no matter what she's up to, so it should come as no surprise that her latest series also proves that she has insane action hero chops to boot. In July 2026, Prime Video debuted a new show called "Ride or Die," which Waddingham stars in opposite Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer. It follows the pair as two best friends who are forced to go on the run. The hook is that one of the friends turns out to actually be a covert assassin.

Waddingham plays the assassin character, a woman named Judith Burton. Opposite her is Spencer's Debbie Claybourne, the American wife of a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The first few minutes of "Ride or Die" make it seem like Waddingham was born to play a sleek and dangerously smart hitwoman, such is her comfort in the role. The Prime Video show's eight-episode first season proves that the London native a worthy addition to the pantheon of action leads. It's one of Waddingham's best TV shows that aren't "Ted Lasso" and it's a great binge watch for fans of spy TV shows.

The action sequences in "Ride or Die" see Hannah Waddingham showing off some extremely impressive screen combat skills. The show doesn't skimp on these moments and they become more impressive as the stakes are cranked up. We get to see Waddingham go all out as she fully embodies an assassin in some truly memorable scenes. "You haven't seen someone trying to fight an assassin while being poisoned until you've seen Hannah Waddingham do it in the close confines of a luxury train," said Wenlei Ma of The Nightly in a glowing review, while Rachel Ho of Exclaim wrote, "In a perfect world, Hannah Waddingham would be our new James Bond, but since there is no justice, I'll gladly take her as Judith."

The vast majority of critics adore the series, which has a near-perfect 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Of course, "Ride or Die" is an action comedy, so there's more to it than impressive fight scenes and big set pieces. While Waddingham handles the action parts of the series with aplomb, she and Spencer also nail the show's buddy comedy elements. "Spencer and Waddingham have a robust and genuine chemistry — a companionship that will undoubtedly resonate with countless viewers," said Variety TV critic Aramide Tinubu. The fact that the show mixes action and comedy so well becomes less surprising when you learn that "Ant-Man" director Peyton Reed was involved, helming the first two episodes. "Ride or Die" may not be among the best Prime Video shows ever made, but it's absolutely worth your time.