The long overdue Kathryn Hahn renaissance is upon us, thanks to Agatha All Along. From its camp coven shenanigans to game-changing plot reveals, it’s just delicious. And one of its shining moments was all down to her — we’re talking about Agatha Harkness’ butt-naked run through Westview.
It was Hahn’s pitch to literally strip the character down in episode 1, she told Variety. “She’s been stripped of all of her power at this point in the series,” she said. “I mean, she really had nothing at that point, and so it became about illustrating that gap between that moment and her finding her power again.”
The script originally had Agatha grab a robe (presumably the one we see her don during her totally- not-sexually-charged fight with Aubrey Plaza’s Rio later) but Hahn had other ideas, according to showrunner Jac Schaeffer.
“Kathryn was like, ‘Would she grab the robe? I don’t feel like she would grab the robe. I feel like she would really not care about being naked in front of the neighbors,’” Schaeffer revealed. “I told her, ‘That is the greatest idea I’ve ever heard.’ Kathryn has done so much work, and she’s done a lot of nudity and other things, and so it also felt very subversive to get Kathryn Hahn’s nudity into the MCU.”
Schaeffer isn’t wrong. One of Hahn’s most celebrated roles was in Mrs. Fletcher, which is about a single mom who embarks on a journey of sexual exploration after her son moves out for college. And of course, the cinematic masterpiece A Bad Moms Christmas placed her in hilariously steamy scenes.
“It is so true to her character, and it makes me laugh out loud,” Schaeffer concluded. “And also, I mean, she looks incredible.” True, and it’s also fair to say the last thing on Agatha’s extremely fried mind was respectability. She had just awoken from The Scarlet Witch’s distorted spell, after all.
The choice also ties in nicely with the show’s generally feminist approach to all things witchy. It’s no secret Agatha All Along purposefully includes content that people have historically been offended by, or cast out for. That’s why there are multiple LGBTQIA+ characters and fireside chats about exclusion. Nudity might not be the political statement of the year, but it’s something centuries-old witches who draw their power from life and mother nature probably aren’t pearl-clutching about.
The comedic approach mixed with the Halloween vibes of the story is partly why the series has exceeded all expectations, and Hahn is an invaluable asset. Someone as talented and perfectly cast as she is lends such an electric air.
Hahn’s dramatic chops are as impressive as her comedic timing, and the layers added to her character while not erasing the villainous streak have done so much for the story. While other important threads are unfurling, ultimately I’m most excited to see where she and her doomed romance land. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in her place, but luckily we don’t have to.
Agatha’s future in the MCU is uncertain given she was originally a minor character and not a lot of faith — or money — seemed to be placed on Agatha All Along. But who knows, maybe her full moon will rise again.
