Debra Jo Rupp, renowned for her wonderful comedic chops, recently made her way into the MCU spinoff series. She’s set to appear in Agatha All Along. Famed for her performance as Sharon Davis on WandaVision, Rupp returned to the role as one of Agatha’s coven. The reality of her experience was far different from what she expected moving off-campus. So when Rupp got on set and learned her character would not have any kind of magical powers as the others do, she was surprised. This discovery both thrilled and saddened her.
Rupp had been eager to explore the mystical side of her character, having been told she would play a witch. However, she was super disappointed to find out that Sharon Davis was the only nonmagical coven member. Unfortunately, her character was quickly replaced by a new cast member and died a tragic off-screen death less than a season later.
"I get there, I think I'm gonna be a witch — Jepp Jo is gonna play a witch — [but] I get there and no one is really looking me in the eye," said Debra Jo Rupp.
Sharon Davis’s passing was fundamental to Agatha All Along and starting upon that tragic, real-life precedent gave the show’s opening episode a shocking tone-setting edge. The featured character’s death was necessary to the show’s narrative to add weight and gravity to the dangerous world they live in.
"That we're not messing around, that people die in this show," commented Jac Schaeffer, reflecting on the decision to kill off Sharon Davis.
Though it didn’t allow her to realize her dream of playing a magical female character, Rupp’s performance was praised. Her casting as Sharon Davis brought plenty of emotional depth to the series overall, giving viewers an inner story that was just as intense and consuming. Her experience in WandaVision turned into a huge educational opportunity. She received hard-won lessons in the lucrative and cutthroat world of television production and character development.
