Producer Mary Livanos on ‘Agatha All Along’: Performance by Kathryn Hahn

Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) in Marvel Television’s Agatha All Along, exclusively on Disney+ | Photo credit: Marvel Television

Agatha All AlongThe 11th television series of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), three years later Wanda Vision It ended with the witch, Agatha Harkness (Katherine Hahn), trapped in Westview without her powers. When a goth teen (Joe Locke), rescues Agatha, she forms a new coven to face the legendary Witches Road and reclaim her magic.

“It was an incredible fan reaction to Kathryn Hahn’s incredibly brilliant performance Wanda Vision That allowed us to tell this story,” said Mary Livanos, one of its executive producers Agatha All Along speaking on a video call at the Disney fan event D23 from Anaheim, California.

Agatha, says Mary, is a pretty obscure comic book character. This is exciting for us at Marvel Studios. Agatha didn’t star in her own comic book run and is now headlining her own series from Marvel Studios, and that’s a first for us.”

Being a show about a villain and a witch, Mary says, Agatha All Along had to take a dark turn. “It’s a celebration of horror and fantasy and we can celebrate those genres. As we gave Wanda Vision And sitcoms, we worked with fantasy and horror Agatha All Along. It’s been fun to take all the pop culture references surrounding witches and put them in a cauldron to help create. Agatha All Along“

While developing the show, Mary said, “We often like to say that Kathryn Hahn is the tone of the show. She can deliver comedy and tragedy and horror. She can give us all these incredible shades. We wanted the tone and palette of the show to be what she was.” It reflects that. So even though we have music, it’s not a musical, but we have incredible comedy and horror that makes it a roller coaster of an adventure.

Mary Livanos, one of the executive producers of ‘Agatha All Along’

Aubrey Plaza plays Rio Vidal, the warrior witch in Agatha’s Coven. “When we set out to play Rio Vidal, it was a tough task. It’s a character that shares a dark, complicated and heated history with Agatha Harkness. Agatha holds many of the keys to truth. Agatha is a liar, but Rio, sharing some history with Agatha, knows some of her secrets.”

The character, Mary says, is mysterious and dark. There is a lot to reveal about him during the show. When we were able to speak with Aubrey, who is a complete and utter witch herself, we couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect. When she was cast in the role, Aubrey said it was a role she was born to play.

Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) in Marvel Television’s Agatha exclusively on Disney+ | Photo credit: Marvel Television

Stepping onto Witches Road for the first time, according to Mary, was a momentous occasion for the coven. “We took a completely hands-on approach to making the show. Everything you see is in the camera, no green or blue screen. We used miniatures, backdrops and special makeup effects to make the atmosphere and evil aspects of the coven faces completely real, so they could be used emotionally.”

The Witches Road, says Mary, was their most outstanding set. “It was giant and scary and layers and layers of fog and mushrooms. There must have been some tears when the witch first set foot on the street.

(L-R): Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), Lilia Calderoo (Patti LuPone), Ali Ahn (Alice Wu-Gulliver), Tin (Joe Locke), and Mrs. Hart/Sharon Davis (Debra Jo Rupp) in Marvel Television’s Agatha Al. ALONG, exclusively on Disney+ Photo credit: Marvel Television

Disney+ streams Agatha All Along on Hotstar, dropping weekly episodes until October 30