Willow takes us back to Tir Asleen and the magical world of the original movie, but there are plenty of new faces. Hannah Waddingham, best known as football club owner Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso and the shame nun from Game of Thrones, makes a surprise guest appearance in episode three. Proving there are no small roles, Hannah Waddingham makes the most of her short time on Willow as she plays the character of Hubert, an ax-wielding woodswoman.
Who Does Hannah Waddingham Play on Willow? Meet the Character of Hubert
When Elora escapes from the possessed Commander Ballantine, she runs into a spooky forest. She races through the gloom and stumbles into a sunny clearing. Two people live there and seemingly have nothing to fear from the outside world. Waddingham’s Hubert gets all the lines while her companion (Caoimhe Farren as Anne) stays silent in their first Willow scenes. Hubert rambles like a true Shakespearean fool, brushing off Elora’s urgency and inviting her to share their meal of roasted mushrooms. We admit it’s refreshing to have characters in epic fantasies that live calm lives. But unfortunately, that can never last.
How Do Hubert and Anne Fit into the World of Willow?
On Willow, Hubert and Anne are Daikini living in the uncultivated territories. There may be some magic about them that keeps them oblivious to the dangers of the outside world, but we don’t learn more in this episode. They have heard of Elora Danan, the true empress. And once they realize she is standing before them, Hubert and Anne are immediately inspired to follow her on her quest. They pledge their lives to her, which doesn’t work out well for them.
Will We See Hannah Waddingham and Hubert Again on Willow?
When Ballantine finds Elora in the clearing, Hubert fights him with her ax. While she lands a blow, she still clearly doesn’t understand the danger, and Ballantine kills her. Elora flees with a stunned Anne. She tries to bargain for new friend’s life, but the possessed guards kill Anne and recapture Elora. Unfortunately, that seems like it spells the end for Hannah Waddingham and Hubert on Willow. That said, on a magical series like this one, there’s no telling what may happen next.
Where Else Will We See Hannah Waddingham?
While we wait for Ted Lasso‘s third and likely final season, Waddingham seems to pop up everywhere, and we’re not sorry about that. Most recently, she played a witch in Hocus Pocus 2. Waddingham will also lend her voice talents to the upcoming Garfield movie.
Hannah Waddingham’s role on Willow may not have been a huge one, and her character was a little short-lived, but Waddingham looks like she’s having fun. We definitely enjoyed seeing her turn as Hubert.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.