Kathryn Hahn on the Return of Agatha and Her MCU Future: “Who Are You Calling a Side Character?”
The already-beloved Kathryn Hahn exploded to a new level of stardom in 2021 with her show-stealing turn as the campy ancient witch Agatha Harkness on WandaVision — winking, cackling, and even singing her way to the most enjoyable MCU performance since Robert Downey, Jr. in the original Iron Man. She’s spent the years since taking on very different roles, including her many-layered, Emmy-nominated portrayal of a grieving mom turned advice columnist, Clare, in Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things.
But the whole time, she was also getting ready for her return to the MCU, this time in her very own Disney+ series, Agatha All Along (debuting Sept. 18), alongside a new witch played by Aubrey Plaza — and in her mind, it’s all a lot more connected than it seems. “I like to think of Clare, which was really difficult emotionally, as, a preparation for the witch,” she says, “Building on it in ways that are not conscious. You just have to stay open to the way those chapters of your life work through you.”
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It was so great to see you guest-host for Jimmy Kimmel in July. Was that any kind of dream come true?
Never thought about it before! There were so many times I wanted to be like, “I woke up this morning, and I had no idea I would end up at, like, a host’s table — or whatever they’re called, desk.” The whole thing was bonkers, but the good people at Jimmy Kimmel made it so easy for me. And I have a lot of dear pals that showed up as guests. They’re great fricking writers over there. It gave me great respect for Kimmel and all of them.
Did you watch Hacks this season?
No!
Jean Smart’s character guest-hosts on late-night, and it goes so well that she starts vying for the permanent slot.
Oh my God, that’s amazing. There was a second where I was like, “Oh, this is not so bad! I’m home by 6:30!” But I think I would just get an ache in my belly hearing about everybody’s amazing projects and [would] want to jump into their projects. She’s a schmactor, what can you say?
What was your first hint that Agatha All Along might be a show?
I remember [WandaVision head writer and Agatha showrunner] Jac Schaeffer, saying, “God, I’d love to write for you again.” We both kept saying, “we have unfinished business” to each other at the end of WandaVision. I didn’t know if it necessarily meant something in this world or somewhere else, but our minds melded. I loved her point of view and her sense of humor. And this character just felt very easy.
Then over the summer, when I was in Serbia shooting Glass Onion, the Knives Out movie, I got a call from [Marvel Studios co-president] Louis D’Esposito saying, “How’d you like your own Marvel show?” — a call you never get. My heart was pounding. I could barely understand what he was saying. I knew what it meant, but I just kept finding ways to minimize it for myself until the first day of shooting. Someone had put a sign on the window in my trailer that said, “welcome to your first day on your very own Marvel show” and I burst into tears. It was very, just very exciting, especially with a character that you just love and just want to explore every nook and cranny.
Was there any challenge in coming back to Agatha and making sure she matched up after a couple years’ break? Anything special you had to do to get there?
What if I was like, “I had to sing ‘Agatha All Along’ for my kids while they’re held hostage on the couch, seven times backwards. Each time in a different language. And then eat eye of newt.” [Laughs.] Weirdly, I didn’t feel the need to match her perfectly because she’s already baked in there.
How much did the essence of this show change along the way?
These two shows were such living, breathing organisms. I had a movement teacher, the incredible Wesley Fata, who would say to us, “Champions adjust.” And that became a catchphrase between all of us — you always had to be very flexible, because it really did shift. And so you couldn’t even hold onto something very tightly. But I knew that the base arc, the important stuff, the emotional goal posts, were firmly in place. So the difference between reading it on the page and seeing it almost two years later was so minimal.
What kind of discussions did you have with Jac about your wishlist for this character?
Our wishes aligned. I wanted [Agatha] to not lose her acerbic nastiness. I wanted to actually see what lies beneath that weird, hard, mean shell. And also to have some music, keep the camp up. All the costume changes, all the stuff that I really loved about WandaVision, the element of performance in her — she really is a great old-school actor who loves putting on the ritz. I wanted that to be part of her still.
And so you got Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez back to write music for the show?
Yeah, to our ridiculous luck. They’re so incredible and just get the tone so well.
So, to be clear, there’s some singing in this show?
Yeah. People open their mouths. And things come out with melodies. [Laughs.] I can’t say how many, how often, who, whatever.
It’s always tricky to take a scene-stealing sort of side character and try to put a whole show on their shoulders, right?
I was going to say, who are you calling a side character? [Laughs.] Yeah, it is. That’s definitely a tricky thing. But from the beginning, we always joked that it would just be so annoying to Agatha Harkness that she wouldn’t have her own fricking show.
If it were up to you, would you want Agatha to appear in the big MCU crossover movies that are coming? I know Disney would send Mickey after you if you spilled on whether you’re already set to do, but….
I’m not afraid of Mickey, but I would say, I think I’d only be asked if it was necessary and juicy. So, who knows? The craziest, most perfect, side-door entrance to this world is to be a witch. It feels wicked step-sister-y. And I really like it like that.
Aubrey Plaza co-stars on Agatha as a witch. You were both on Parks and Recreation, but your characters didn’t appear together much. Was it different behind the scenes?
The four of us, Rashida [Jones], Amy [Poehler], Plaza and myself really started to socialize and make a tradition of hanging out a couple years after Parks. That quad became really important, even if we don’t see each other on the regular. But I never really had a chance to work with Aubrey, so I was very excited to do this.
What did you learn about her as an actor from this?
She doesn’t take herself mad seriously, and she’s also willing to go to the sticky, darkest, most exploratory places, which is my dream as well. So it was so fun to do those scenes with her and just investigate with her. Between “action” and “cut,” it just felt really thick.
A lot of people maybe first encountered you all the way back in the 2001 NBC procedural Crossing Jordan. Are there things you learned back then that you still draw from?
That was my first gig out in California that was a real paying show. It was on a network, back when network shows meant you’re doing 22 or 23 shows a year. I learned really how to act on camera on that show. The late, great Miguel Ferrer and Ken Howard were on that show, two beautiful souls who I learned so much from. Jill Hennessy. I learned so many things. I learned from Miguel about the power of stillness and that to do less is usually the most powerful thing. And also the power of listening, that’s more than half of what you do as an actor.
Your career is obviously in a fantastic place, but there’s so much uncertainty in movies and TV right now. How much are you feeling that?
I don’t know how long whatever’s gonna last. It’s a Ferris wheel. You don’t know if whatever cart you’re on is gonna go up or down. It’s always moving. I don’t take a day for granted. I think an actor always feels like they’re going to be back working at the hair salon.
Which was your actual job at one point.
There’s always that uncertainty, and now it’s in every facet of this business. The juiciest chapter of my life was with original content directed by women, these little stories that didn’t need to make a gazillion dollars to exist. My prayer is that those are still around because they’re so imperative. The fact that it’s so difficult to get those movies in theaters — it’s crazy to me.
You joined Ken Marino, Craig Wedren, and David Wain’s Middle Aged Dad Jam Band onstage not long ago, and you’ve already had a hit single of sorts with “Agatha All Along” from WandaVision. So Kate Hudson just released an album….
I know, and it’s amazing!
Do you ever have that itch?
I love karaoke. I will sing in any genre. And I love Ken Marino. I love all those guys. I love David Wain, Craig Wedren. They’re all like dear pals. I literally flew myself to Cleveland to be in that with them, ’cause it’s my hometown. So, that was so fun, but no, I don’t need to put out a record. Unless it’s a Christmas album.
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