Ozark star Laura Linney reveals why she originally did not like her character, Wendy Byrde. The second part of the fourth season wrapped up the critically-acclaimed drama series earlier this year, which originally premiered on Netflix in 2017. Laura stars as Wendy, a seemingly ordinary mother and wife. Her life gets turned upside down when her husband, Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), moves his family to Missouri after admitting he is laundering money and must work for a dangerous drug Cartel. The fourth season saw the stakes rise even higher as private investigator Mel Sattem (Adam Rothenberg) and Cartel leader Omar Nevarro (Felix Solis) close in on the Byrde family and add more pressure to their (illegal) business.
Linney's character, Wendy, undergoes a drastic transformation throughout the series. Once a housewife against her husband's lies, she winds up a full-fledged criminal. Seeing no other option, Wendy chooses to turn to the dark side as she is thrown into a life of secrecy and crime. By the end of the third season, Wendy cements her status as a villain when she gives up her older brother Ben to the Cartel for them to murder. Although this was done to protect her family, Wendy must deal with the repercussions in Ozark season 4. Wendy proves herself to be the ultimate anti-hero of the show. Yet, she is still someone the audience wants to root for.
During an interview with Vulture, Linney admits that she originally did not like Wendy. Citing the script from the pilot, Linney explains her thought process behind her judgement of the character. Read on to discover why Laura did not like Wendy at first:
The character in the pilot was very different. I just remember she was snoring in the bed a lot. There was a lot of: Wendy snores. I just didn’t know where it was going to go. I don’t know why I trusted Jason Bateman and Chris Mundy as much as I did, but I remember saying to them, “I hope that if I sign onto this, you’ll use me. Otherwise, don’t cast me. Take someone else.” There’s nothing worse than people not wanting what you have to offer. When people don’t want what you have to offer, it’s just womp-womp-womp.
Linney's initial reaction to Wendy may reflect similar first impressions from fans, considering she was so different in the pilot. She was painted as the "nagging housewife" as she chastised her husband for his decisions and was reluctant to move to the Ozarks. As the series went on, however, Wendy becomes in charge of a criminal enterprise and lets her greed get the best of her. No longer her husband's sidekick, Wendy is just as ruthless and ambitious as he is, proving she is no longer just "snoring."
Clearly, Linney's feelings for Wendy changed as she continued the role throughout 44 episodes. That would be the longest the actress has played a character, based on episode number alone. Linney was also nominated for two Emmys for her performance as Wendy, proving her reluctance changed to an admiration of the character. Although Ozark has come to an end, Linney and co-star Jason Bateman have both hinted at a possible return of the series, as they both have admitted how much they miss it. It's a good thing Linney stuck with Wendy, as she became one of the most complex, critically-acclaimed roles of her career. And, if fans are lucky, she could make an Ozark comeback, eventually.
Source: Vulture