Ozark: Laura Linney Isn't Sure If Wendy Byrde Is A Villain
Laura Linney says she isn't sure if she views her Ozark character, Wendy Byrde, as a villain. The hit crime drama series premiered on Netflix in 2017 and tells the story of a married couple who relocate their family to the Lake of the Ozarks in order to launder money, getting involved with local criminals and the Kansas City Mafia along the way. Linney portrays Wendy, the wife of self-employed financial advisor Marty Byrde, who, as the show progresses, becomes more of a role player in the cartel system, making decisions without her husband and conversing with Omar Navarro on occasion, despite the danger it puts her family in. Throughout Ozark’s duration, the series received praise from critics, with Linney’s performance drawing admiration and earning the actress Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.
The fourth and final season of Ozark was split into two parts, the first of which was released on January 21, 2022. Wendy’s position as a lobbyist and her political strategies have saved her family a number of times, but undercutting Marty has threatened their operations, as well as their family’s dynamic. She also bears responsibility for her brother’s death, and the first half of season 4 saw Wendy become more coldblooded in her actions, to the extent that an antagonist like Omar Navarro was able to see a piece of himself reflected in her. The one aspect of her nature that remains unflinching though is her desire to keep her family safe, but in trying to do so, Wendy might make the Byrde's seem more villainous than they are.
Related: Ozark Season 4 Part 1 Ending Explained
Now, in an interview with GQ, Linney is revealing that she does not see Wendy as a villain. She states that while she might not behave well, she
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