Why The Actress In Rakuten's Super Bowl 2022 Commercial Looks Familiar

Super Bowl season is in full swing, with the Los Angeles Rams set to lock horns with the Cincinnati Bengals on February 13, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, per The Independent. However, for those who aren't terribly interested in the game itself, there's still plenty of adjacent activities to get excited about. Aside from the star-studded halftime show, which is slated to be one of the most awe-inspiring yet, there's a plethora of wildly ambitious, silly, and equally celebrity-laden commercials to pore over. 

Colleagues and BFFs Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg appear in a lively advertisement for Bic Lighters, during which they share various uses for the handy product including lighting candles, "smoking a turkey," and igniting a bonfire to roast marshmallows. Elsewhere, a dedicated fan pays tribute to lovable comedic actor Seth Rogan with a shrine featuring conspicuously placed bags of Lay's chips. One of the most noteworthy Super Bowl 2022 commercials, though, is undoubtedly Rakuten's offering. 

The short clip sees a glamorous blonde woman, decked out in her finery, sitting in front of a mirror and practicing her best evil laugh (via YouTube). Funnily enough, this particular actor is part of one of the biggest shows released in recent years. 

The actor convincingly portraying an evil genius in the making, in "Rakuten's Big Game Teaser: Evil Laugh," is none other than Hannah Waddingham. The British star will be well known to fans of sitcom "Ted Lasso," which was the pandemic water-cooler show, per the Los Angeles Times. Waddingham plays Rebecca Welton in the hit show, and it even earned her an Emmy in 2021, for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series. 

Although Waddingham's role in "Ted Lasso" was a major breakout moment for the actor, she's been working consistently for years, particularly on British television. As IMDb details, Waddingham had recurring roles on "My Family," "Doctors," and lots more. Elsewhere, she played Septa Unella on "Game of Thrones," Jax-Ur in "Krypton," and Sofia Marchetti in "Sex Education." Waddingham's next big role will be in the upcoming "Hocus Pocus 2," though her character has yet to be revealed. 

"Ted Lasso" has been life-changing for the actor, with The Times pointing out it made her "a star at 47," but Waddingham remains the same person she's always been underneath it all. As the actor told Town & Country, "The biggest gift 'Ted Lasso' has given me is that it's shot 40 minutes from my house." She added, "Trust me, I am a theater girl through and through in my bloodstream, but I want to be able to put my little girl to bed at night."