Debra Jo Rupp’s Great-Nephew Convinced Her to Be in WandaVision

Debra Jo Rupp reveals how her great-nephew very bluntly convinced her to join WandaVision. A veteran actress and comedian, Rupp has plenty of ties to the sitcoms which inspire the MCU series. Rupp is particularly well known for her leading role as Kitty Forman on That 70’s Show, in addition to recurring as Alice Knight-Buffay on Friends.

Part of WandaVision’s impressive cast, Rupp plays Mrs. Hart. The jovial and considerate wife of Fred Melamed’s more taciturn Mr. Hart, the duo arguably stole the attention in a key scene during the debut episode. Still, as Rupp confessed in a new interview, she wasn’t always so sure about appearing on the Disney+ offering.

Speaking with Collider, Rupp shed some light on how she ended up joining WandaVision. The actress explained that she had a previous connection with Matt Shakman, who directed all the episodes of the MCU show, but she also gave special credit to her great-nephew. According to Rupp, he had a very direct way of convincing her. You can read Rupp’s quote below.

“I got a call from the director who knew me — I’ve been doing a lot of theater. I come from theater; I like a live audience. I get a lot of energy from an audience and I had just worked at [director Matt Shakman]‘s theater in LA, the Geffen Playhouse. So he knew me from that and he called and he said, “I have a request.” And then he tried to explain it to me, and I understood nothing of what he said. And then my great-nephew said, “Aunt Debbie, if you don’t take this job, I will never speak to you again.” So it all came together and man oh man, I am so happy I did.”

Rupp’s remarks reflect the huge fandom that Marvel enjoys, which is evident given the insistence of the great-nephew, but it also points to the level of care involved with putting WandaVision together. Shakman, who has a history in television himself, having directed everything from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to Game of Thrones, reached out to Rupp specifically with the knowledge of what she would bring to the performance. The request paid off, as Mrs. Hart’s experience at the dinner table with Wanda and Vision ended up being one of the standout scenes in the premiere episodes. Initially, when Mr. Hart chokes, it’s played for laughs but then the moment takes a dark turn that has been compared to David Lynch’s work in how it fused the mundane with the unsettling. Rupp sells it all, turning an ostensibly minor role into something far more memorable.

The same is true for the rest of WandaVisionthus far. The choice of Kathryn Hahn as Agnes has been rightfully praised, while Emma Caulfield Ford’s turn is reminiscent of a meaner and more calculated version of Anya on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As more and more casting announcements are reported about the MCU all the time, these examples show that Marvel are putting a lot of thought into even their supporting players. It’s to their benefit in the long run, as the franchise looks to expand its reach beyond just a few movies each year. Judging by the reaction of Rupp’s nephew, most fans can’t wait to see it.

Source: Collider

About The Author

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi
(1121 Articles Published)

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi joined Screen Rant in August 2019, focusing on movie and television news. In January of the same year, he wrote a 3500+ word piece on why Primo Colón is underrated. He considers it his finest work. When he’s not arguing for the merits of his favorite wrestler, he can be reached at: [email protected].

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