Kathryn Hahn-Agatha

Interview by Elisa Leonelli

Kathryn Hahn plays a powerful Marvel witch in the TV series Agatha All Along, a spin-off of WandaVision (2021) starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, both created by Jac Schaeffer.

The actress answers questions from Golden Globe Foundation journalists in an exclusive interview.

What did you know about Agatha Harkness before you played her in Wandavision?
I didn’t know anything about this world, my kids had to lead me by the hand, explain everything, help me step by step through the whole process, and I’m very grateful. Lorenzo is 18, Mae is 15.

What message can Agatha All Along offer to the young people of today?
It’s important for a young person to see that there is a kind of analog magic, a power that we feel, like hand-to-hand combat, right within ourselves. Witches and sorcery have something mysterious and powerful, almost dreamlike, like a pretty scary black cloud, at least from the point of view of a child. But the witch is also the most fun character you can play with, so many people dress up as witches for Halloween, because they find them attractive.

Have you noticed that especially women of the younger generation seem to have learned to appreciate their power as witches?
Certainly, because feeling like a witch applies not only to women, but to all those who consider themselves marginalized and need to create a congregation where to be at home and raise their diversity flag. It feels good to have your tribe, people who understand you and with whom you can be exactly who you are, where you feel safe and even invincible when you are together. Moreover, witches have traditionally threatened the power of men, because they are women who know how to handle themselves in the forest, say exactly what they think and do not need men. So today’s women find attractive the idea of being truly themselves and being able to speak out loud, of belonging to a coven of powerful witches that arouse fear.

Kathryn Hahn. Photo by Earl Gibson III

Did you consult real witches to prepare for the Agatha’s role?
Yes, I met a witch once a week, called Maja D’Aoust, the White Witch of Los Angeles; she is an extraordinary person and very close to earth, we had wonderful conversations. We wanted our witches to have different nuances, not all of them the same with the usual clichés, to represent them in the right way. True witches are incredible human beings, and I, too, consider myself a witch.

If you could have a super power, which one would you choose?
I wish I could fly on a broom like a witch, so I would no longer have to manage those crowded airports, I could move from one place to another very quickly. I’d also like to have the power to stop time, because sometimes it moves so fast that I can’t appreciate it. This power would be magnificent.

Written for Voilà Magazine Facebook
Read here original Italian text

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