Toni Collette’s Strangest Role Since Hereditary: Netflix’s Wayward

Oscar-nominated actor Toni Collette is a powerhouse actor who has played many unconventional roles, but her new Netflix show, Wayward, is her weirdest role this decade. Since her debut in 1992, Toni Collette has made a name for herself as one of the most impactful dramatic actors out there. She also has a fun acting trend that I’ve noticed.

Every decade, Collette has played at least one absolutely strange role. In the ‘90s, it was Diana Spencer (not the royal one) in Diana and Me. In the ‘00s, it was Mary in the mostly unknown stop-motion movie Mary and Max. However, her most impactful weird role has to be her “weird” role from the 2010s, Annie Graham in Hereditary.

After watching Toni Collette’s new Netflix thriller, Wayward, the show has to be the most bizarre role since she starred in the cast of Hereditary. I wouldn’t be surprised if it also ends up being considered her “weird” role of the 2020s.

Wayward Is Toni Collette’s Most Unsettling Role Since Hereditary

As a horror buff, I will watch any horror movies and shows – the good, the laughably bad, and the downright bizarre. Hereditary, which came out in 2018, is weird in the best way possible. It’s one of those movies that a person can watch multiple times and still not fully understand.

Every watch adds to the experience. There are so many small details that can be missed the first time around. It’s unsettling, creepy, and (literally) culty. It’s Toni Collette’s best role.

Toni Collette’s new thriller, which often feels like a horror show, is her most unsettling role since Hereditary. Wayward is by far the weirdest show of the year, and it definitely ranks up there as one of Collette’s strangest roles of all time.

The town of Tall Pines and its overly friendly citizens feel unnerving. Even in the less disturbing moments, there’s always this eerie feeling that something is just a little off.

Like in Hereditary, a cult is at the center of the horror. Interestingly, Collette was the victim of the cult in Hereditary. However, this time around, the actor plays the cult leader, who worships the metaphysical idea of “the leap.”

Toni Collette Is The Most Compelling Part Of Wayward

Even though Wayward has divided critics and audiences, one thing has remained consistent among reviews made in good faith – Toni Collette is unquestionably the most compelling part of Wayward. Even the people who weren’t fans of the show praised her performance.

She sets the tone for the entire show. Evelyn’s recruitment video is the first thing to tip off viewers that there’s something wrong with Tall Pines Academy, a facility based on the real-life horrors of the troubled teen industry.

Evelyn is also the driving force of the show’s mysteries and horrors. Most of the abuse occurs at her behest, and she’s the one directly responsible for leading abusive and debunked therapy tactics.

Even when Evelyn is not actively harming others, her body language and facial expressions feel unsettling, and her behavior taps into the uncanny valley, even though she is actually a human being. Ultimately, anyone who loved the eeriness of Toni Collette’s performance in Wayward needs to check out Hereditary and vice versa.