An Interview with Lea Drinda from ‘Where’s Wanda?’

Lea Drinda in "Where's Wanda?," now streaming on Apple TV+.

Lea Drinda is a rising star in Hollywood right now, and currently she stars as Wanda Klatt in the Apple TV+ series, Where’s Wanda? And ahead of the season one finale of the show, we sat down with Lea to dive deeper into her role on the show. 
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John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know, now that we know that out in the open, that Wanda is okay, when did you find out what Wanda's fate was going to be?
 
Lea Drinda: Oh, quite late. Like I, at first, I only read like three episodes, and so I didn't really know much what was going to happen with her. Because, you know, in the first three episodes, obviously you find out that she's gone missing and that her family is very worried about her and all that. But like at episode six, you sort of start to, you know, understand what's happened and what's going on. And I obviously knew while we were shooting, but the end was sort of open while we were shooting. It wasn't quite like, sure how we were going to, like, round everything off, because they were really trying to polish it the best they could, to make it really sum everything up. And, yeah, you know, it was, I was very relieved to know that I wasn't gonna play have a dead end. You know, I was, she was, she's supposed to live on, and she still has a long way to go, which is good. 
 
John Betancourt: Yes, it is, I think it was a relief for the audience too, because we all wanted her to be okay. I'm curious, though, did learning about her fate later on, change your approach at all as an actor, as to how you built her character?
 
Lea Drinda: Um, I guess, yeah, sort of in a way, because, um, I knew she was not supposed to be a victim. You know she was supposed to be strong; she was supposed to get through stuff. She was supposed to be witty and funny and sort of annoying to the guy holding her captive, you know, she was, she was sort of supposed to be a feisty teenager, you know. And that made me able to like, be louder, be more comfortable, like around everybody else, and be more confident and so it really pushed me towards this sort of more aggressive, feisty sort of character, instead of being like, I guess, scared and whiny, in a way, she was really quite the strong lady to deal with. 
 
John Betancourt: I always love talking to actors, and I always learning about their process. And I'm curious, because you have such -- I mean, obviously everybody has a has a good arc and a good journey in this show, but yours is perhaps the most severe, because she goes from innocent teenager to, like you said, feisty and spicy and having to do all these bold things. How did you as an actor, tap into all of that? 
 
Lea Drinda: I mean, I guess it's sort of… everything's inside of me, in a way, you know, like you have so many, so many things that you're able to, like… I guess, air out when you're an actor, and you can just, like, grab everything that's like, boiling up inside of you and just push it out in that sort of way. I guess I've never had such a traumatic experience as her, but things do boil up inside of me as well. You know, we, it's just the way it is. We as a folk, as the movie, people are strange characters, and there's always something going on inside of us and she was a great way to let all of that out and let it go as well. I think that's one of the reasons I really love doing my job, because I'm able to experience and express and live through so much and let go of so many things. And I guess that's sort of the place where it all comes from, in a way.
 
John Betancourt: I have to ask a follow up question to that, how much of yourself would you say you injected into Wanda.
 
Lea Drinda: Ooh, to be honest, not so… not that much. Because I was never really a feisty teenager. You know, I was quite shy and calm, and maybe I actually was able to live out that sort of thing that I missed out on when I was a teenager, because I was always trying to be so nice that now I could finally sort of be the mean sort of, I don't, I don't want to say bitchy, but sometimes a bit painful to have around, sort of daughter, you know. And I guess that was sort of a compensation for me to be able to finally do all that. That I had never been able to do myself. 
 
John Betancourt: That leads me to my next question as well, what you've enjoyed the most about playing Wanda in this first season?
 
Lea Drinda: I love that she was so confident. I think I've never been so outspoken myself. I've always sort of kept my cool or been sort of, yeah, just calmer and she went from zero to 100 all the time, you know, she was so up and down and I really liked that she expressed everything she felt like instantly and aggressively, also towards Chris, you know, and the, in the basement and all that she never like, let those things take her. She was always the one taking the situation and trying to take control of it, and sort of being the more dominant person in the situation. And that I really liked about her.
 
John Betancourt: Now we don't want to spoil anything, but I do want to know what you're excited for audiences to enjoy as we wrap up the season.
 
Lea Drinda: Um, well, you know now that we know she's okay and we know that she's getting out, I guess there's still a long way to go, because there's a whole mystery to solve. You know, who's King? What's going on? Why was she even there in the first place? And all those things are still to come, and I do not think it will be boring at all.
 
John Betancourt: So, the response has been great to the show. What has the response, and the journey meant to you? 
 
Lea Drinda: Oh, I mean, it's just it's been so great to be part of such a great, like, teamwork. You know, even while shooting, it was just such a nice experience. I haven't, I've rarely been in at a set that was so harmonic, in that sort of way, and that was just such a nice time for me to have. And now that it's out, I mean, it's so crazy as a like a German actress, to be able to be a part of such a like international production and see it now being streamed in so many countries, talking to you, you know, you're like, halfway around the world, and I'm sitting here in Berlin talking to you, and that's like, just, that's like mind blowing for me, you know? So, it's been a journey from start to end, and there's still more to come, and who knows what happens after that.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to the work you've put into Season One? Into season one?
 
Lea Drinda: I guess, just like, really pulling through, like being like, I guess… it's very hard for me to be proud of things, but I'm proud of this one. You know, I really tried my very best. It was new for me. It was hard, it was complicated scenes, long shooting days, and we managed, we did it, and now it's out there and I guess that's sort of what I take away from it. I'm proud. 
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. 

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