‘The world is catching up’ to Leon
LEON Wadham’s rise from Go Girls to the Hollywood stardom that comes with a major role in the new Lord of the Rings TV series might have come as surprise to many – but not Kiwi funnywoman Alice Snedden.
‘‘I’ve always said that he is a star, even though he doesn’t generally agree,’’ says comic, writer and actor Snedden, who has worked with Wadham on her show Bad News since 2020, has also collaborated with him and Rose Matafeo on stage shows, and calls him her ‘‘platonic life partner’’.
‘‘Leo’s greatest strength, as a friend to me is his ability to laugh at my emotional distress in a way that makes me also find it funny. He is a big old well of emotional support and complete practical ineffectiveness as a friend, but when we’re at work for some reason, he’s extremely analytical, practical and efficient.’’
The casting process for Wadham, who plays nobleman Kemen in The Rings of Power,
was ‘‘so long and so anxiety filled’’ for Wadham that Snedden was delighted – albeit unsurprised – when he got the part.
‘‘[His success] makes complete sense to me. It’s just the world catching up to what I think of him,’’ she says. ‘‘I think he is striving for stability. He is so talented, and when you are that talented and innately creative, you want to find bigger and better ways to explore and express that.
‘‘That’s his ambition, it’s not strictly commercial. He’s creatively ambitious.’’
You can read an in-depth interview with Wadham in this week’s Sunday News ETC section on pages 24-25.