Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham Had A Small Role In A Popular Primetime Soap Opera

There's no doubt that Hannah Waddingham is very much enjoying her well-deserved time in the spotlight these days. While American audiences may see her as an overnight success thanks to the explosion of "Ted Lasso," viewers across the pond have been well acquainted with her for years. Although it's true that her turn as Rebecca Welton on "Ted Lasso" has been her most visible role to date, she cut her teeth on the popular British soap opera "Brookside" early in her career.

By the time Waddingham appeared on the long-running British soap, the series was already nearing the end of a 21-year run that went down as one of the most influential in all of British television history. "Brookside" was the first British show to feature an openly gay character in 1985, and depict an on-screen lesbian kiss. As the soap went on, the plotlines became more and more outlandish as viewership dropped heavily. Waddingham would appear in three episodes in 2002, just one year before the show went off the air.

Her role on the show was limited, to say the least. Even though her character was part of a scandal, she wasn't even on screen for the juicy parts. Suggestive photos of her character were posted on a mechanic's website in an attempt to stir up some controversy. All viewers got to see of Waddingham in the episode were pictures of her shown on a computer.

For Hannah Waddingham, "Brookside" was only her second acting credit, but in the two decades that have followed, she has slowly risen from character actress status to one of the most sought-after stars in the world. For the next few years, she'd make guest appearances on multiple British shows including "Coupling," "Footballers' Wives," and "Bad Education" before getting a small but memorable role in the movie adaptation of the musical "Les Miserables."

Her first big break came on "Game of Thrones," where she appeared in eight episodes as Septa Unella, including a scene that became a popular meme in which she walks behind Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), ringing a bell, and shouting "Shame." She became a true household name when she was finally cast as the owner of AFC Richmond in "Ted Lasso," playing one of the best characters on the show.

Waddingham won an Emmy for her role on "Ted Lasso," which is regarded as one of the best television shows about sports of all time. While continuing to portray Rebecca, she's also parlayed her success into multiple projects including a Christmas special, voiceover work in movies like "Lilo & Stitch" and the animated series "Krapopolis," and several film appearances, including the Ryan Gosling-led "The Fall Guy."