Sasheer Zamata Confirms Her 'Agatha: Coven of Chaos' Role
The 'Home Economics' star's casting was announced in November, and filming wrapped at the end of May
Which witch is witch? Well, for Sasheer Zamata on the WandaVision spinoff Agatha: Coven of Chaos, it’s more a sorceress.
The Saturday Night Live alumnus who most recently starred on the ABC sitcom Home Economics will play sorceress Jennifer Kale on the Disney+ series. Kale was created by Steve Gerber and Rich Buckler, debuting in a Man-Thing story in Adventure into Fear #11, published in December 1972. Being a sorceress, she works alongside other magic users like Man-Thing, who debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Werewolf by Night special, and Doctor Strange. She’s also Ghost Rider Johnny Blaze’s cousin.
In discussing her preparations for Kale to Mashable in a pre-strike interview, Zamata said “I definitely did as much research as I could. But the way we formed this character is very different from what I think people expect.” This is probably due to the character being situated in very different circumstances in the series than she comes from the comics with. Too many elements would need to be introduced in a story that’s not even hers, but Agatha’s to offset the “very different” into a straighter translation to screen, for those even familiar with her at all. She also found her casting fitting, since she has a bit on witches in her comedy special The First Woman. “I had already written material for [The First Woman] before I went through the audition process,” she told. “It felt magical that I got to be in a show about witches. I talk about it so much in my special.”
Her casting in Agatha: Coven of Chaos was first reported in November, along with Ali Ahn and Maria Dizzia following the earlier reports of Aubrey Plaza and Joe Locke within a few days prior. Of course, they join Kathryn Hahn, who reprises her role as WandaVision’s Agatha Harkness and presumably the Agnes persona that Wanda Maximoff locked her into after she had adopted such disguise as part of her plot. As such, many Westview neighbors, including Debra Jo Rupp as Sharon Davis, Mrs. Hart in the sitcom, Emma Caulfield Ford as Sarah Proctor, aka "Dottie Jones" within the sitcom, David Lengel as her husband Harold Proctor / "Phil Jones", David Payton as John Collins / "Herb", Asif Ali as Abilash Tandon / "Norm", and Amos Glick as the pizza delivery man who was "Dennis" under the Hex. Kate Forbes also returns as Agatha's mother, Evanora Harkness. In December, Patti LuPone was cast, and in April revealed she was playing Lilia Calderu, while Locke would be playing a Familiar. The series also features Miles Gutierrez-Riley, reportedly as Hulkling, and Okwui Okpokwasili, and Plaza is reportedly rumored to be playing the witch Rio Vidal.
In discussing her set experience, Zamata was extremely enthusiastic, calling shooting. "magical” and “ethereal”. She elaborated “It brought that out of everyone on set," she said. "There were crystals and candles everywhere. We saged and cleansed the stage all the time. It was the perfect environment for me." While her role on Home Economics remains in a limbo without a renewal decision exacerbated by the actors’ and writers’ need to strike against the studios for better working conditions, she has had main roles this year in the Showtime miniseries Waco: The Aftermath and as the voice of Adria Lafayette, Lunella’s mother in Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. The First Woman debuted on August 15 on special platform with a "pay what you want" model, starting at $2 if one doesn’t want to wait the window before its YouTube release for free on August 29.
Source: Mashable, Deadl