Why Dead To Me's Linda Cardellini Was Terrified To Play Judy

Before starring as Judy Hale on Netflix's dark comedy "Dead to Me," Linda Cardellini had a long and broad resume in film and television that included starring roles on "Freaks and Geeks" and "ER" and in "Brokeback Mountain" and "Legally Blonde." Cardellini has earned three Emmy nominations for her television work, including a 2020 nod for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her work on "Dead to Me." 

Despite her extensive list of bona fides, Cardellini was apprehensive about taking on the role of Judy when it was first brought to her. She said reading the script gave her a similar positive gut reaction as some of her previous projects did, but she admitted that she was also somewhat intimidated by the idea of moving back into comedy after several years of working on dramatic projects.

"I was terrified," Cardellini told Buzzfeed. "I didn't know if I could do the character. She was so different than everything that I was doing. ... I was coming off of a lot of drama. So for 'Dead to Me,' I was like, 'Oh, can I do this? Can I find this?' And then I realized there was just a lot of Linda that had gone unexplored and that Judy helped me sort of find. So that was fun. Judy taps into my goofier side, which I certainly have."

Linda Cardellini's apprehension quickly dissolved once she began working on "Dead to Me" and formed a close friendship with co-star Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021. Cardellini said to Buzzfeed that their characters' interdependence was quickly matched by the off-screen dynamic between herself and Applegate as both pairs grew closer: "Our relationship to each other, onscreen and off, is about friendship. I think I was very lucky when I first met her. We instantly got along."

Judy goes through a troublesome health journey of her own on "Dead to Me," receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis in Season 3 and ultimately succumbing to her illness. Cardellini explained how her cancer storyline helped her feel an even tighter connection with Applegate, although she drew one important distinction between her friendship with Applegate and the one between their characters.

"I think what happens to Judy really shines a light on how special her friendship with Jen is," Cardellini said. "... I'm so lucky to be able to play that with Christina because we are truly friends. Working with her has been magical for me. ... I feel so grateful for that. ... It's not the same, of course; we're not going around murdering anybody."