Hannah Waddingham's blistering attack from teacher that made her determined
Hannah Waddingham's former drama teacher's vile comments left the actress determined for success, she's said.
The star, who is known for roles in Ted Lasso and Netflix's smash Sex Education, has claimed her former teacher made a disgusting comment in front of her fellow students while she was at drama school. But Hannah, 49, admits the comment made her more determined to forge a career for herself and become successful. In recent years Hannah has not only found fame as an actress but also left fans impressed with her presenting abilities, most notably at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, but also with her singing skills.
Hannah Waddingham says the comment left her more determined than ever (Variety via Getty Images)
The star went on to win a string of awards after achieving success (FilmMagic)Speaking to Michelle Visage on her BBC Radio 2 Rule Breakers podcast, the Les Misérables star said: "I had one drama teacher that said to the whole class: 'Oh Hannah will never work on screen because she looks like one side of her face has had a stroke.' I thought, 'I will do, come hell or high water, I will work on screen!'"
Hannah, who before finding fame on screen was a theatre star, performing in the likes of The Wizard of Oz and Spamalot, added that the awful comment left her with a complex. Discussing her 2021 Emmy Award win for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Ted Lasso, she added: "This is why, in my Emmys speech, I made a point - the one thing I said to myself [was], if this weird moment comes and I get this award, and I get my foot in this door, I'm going to rip it off its hinges for music theatre people, or theatre people, to follow."
The Wandsworth-born actress went on to claim that her teacher must not have thought the comment was "helpful or positive or aspirational," before adding: "I would say that was my biggest rule break ever – to go, 'You know what? I'm just going to see!'"
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Following the blistering comments, Hannah told Ru Paul's Drag Race star Michelle that she "used to knacker" herself senseless in order to prove her teacher wrong. "I used to be doing a [theatre] show at night and I used to literally take anything to get myself on screen," she told the broadcaster.
However, her screen career was slow to start with, with Hannah only landing the odd scene in shows and movies, and she decided she was taking a step back. "I've been a leading lady for 22 years. I'm not doing it any more. I'd rather be in a world where I'm appreciated," she told her actress. But things soon turned around after she "fully stepped back" – and she later landed a role in Game of Thrones.
Hannah's drama teacher wasn't the only person to criticise her, with her former headteacher saying she wasn't "bright enough to read drama" and allegedly refused to give her a reference for drama school, before she eventually landed a scholarship.
Michelle Visage’s Rule Breakers is available only on BBC Sounds.
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