Laura Linney currently portrays one of the most vicious villains on television: Wendy Byrde, the ruthless, power-hungry matriarch willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to get what she wants on her way to the top. Fans of Netflix’s “Ozark” love to hate her. Garnering so much vitriol for a fictional character is a true testament to her talent.
Linney, however, has her doubts about her character’s true motive and the audience’s subsequent perception.
“She certainly does not behave well. It is not a character who you aspire to be, I hope. I don’t know if she’s the villain because she’s not trying to hurt her family. She’s trying to save her family. I think if she were actively, intentionally trying to derail her family then she would be a real villain,” she said in an interview with GQ in January.
Linney was born in New York City; her mother was a nurse, and her father was a playwright. At age 11, she found her passion for acting with a local stage group in New Hampshire, where she would spend summers with her father. She attended Northwestern University, transferred to Brown, studied acting, and served on the board of Production Workshop, the university's student theater group. She then went on to earn her Master of Fine Arts at The Juilliard School.
After graduation, Linney immediately started acting on Broadway, receiving praise for her performances in “Six Degrees of Separation” and “Hedda Gabler.”
Her film career began with small roles in “Lorenzo’s Oil” and “Dave.” Her breakout role came in 1996 when she starred opposite Richard Gere in the thriller “Primal Fear.” This led to starring roles in the political action thriller “Absolute Power” and the comedy-drama “The Truman Show.”
Linney’s performances in film, television, and stage have led to multiple awards and critical acclaim. She has been nominated for three Academy Awards, nine Screen Actors Guild Awards (winning once), and seven Golden Globe Award nominations (winning twice). She has also received two Independent Spirit Awards. For her work on television, she received seven Primetime Emmy nominations and won four times. For her work on Broadway, she has earned five nominations for Best Actress in a Play.