Who is cat-loving Judi Spannegel in Wednesday season 2? And who plays her?

Judi Spannegel is a new character who is first seen in Wednesday season 2 episode 2.

The character in the Netflix hit is played by The Princess Diaries star Heather Matarazzo, and it turns out to be more of a key part than people imagined.

Bubbly Judi works as an executive assistant to Dr. Rachael Fairburn (played by Thandiwe Newton) at the scary Willow Hill Psychiatric Facility, an asylum for Outcasts (people with supernatural abilities). This is where "Hyde", Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan), resides.

Teasing the character on her Instagram, Heather wrote: "She loves cats…..and jellybeans…..and other things…to find out what, you're gonna have to tune in."

How is Judi Spannegel introduced in Wednesday season 2?

We first see Judi in episode 2 at Willow Hill. She's very enthusiastic about Dr. Fairburn's work and tells Wednesday she should read her book.

When Wednesday comments that Dr. Fairburn isn’t an Outcast, Judi doesn't think that should matter. It’s a brief exchange, and we only see Judi a couple more times, picking Dr Fairburn up in the car when she comes to Nevermore and when Dr. Fairburn discusses what she’s planning to do with their new patient, Marilyn Thornhill. However, things take an interesting turn of events...

What’s the big reveal about Judi Spannegel in Wednesday season 2 (MAJOR SPOILERS!)?

Judi Spannegel is unmasked as a major villain in Wednesday season 2 episode 4. She’s revealed to be Augustus Stonehurst’s daughter, which is how she knew about the secret passages at Nevermore since her father worked there and used them to visit the aviary he built her in Iago Tower.

She says her father loved Outcasts so much that he wanted to be one. She says they are trying to extract their abilities to give to Normies and reveals that while she was born a Normie, thanks to her father’s work, she’s an Avian. Fester thinks it’s wrong that he experimented on his own daughter, but Judi says she volunteered. She says Augustus wanted to be a DaVinci, but his body couldn’t take it. It sent him mad, and he was admitted as a patient at Willow Hill. He was also previously a science teacher at Nevermore.

As she talks, Fester powers up his electricity to fire at her. When he lets it go, all the lights go out at Willow Hill.

The power cut releases the patients Judi has held hostage, and they begin to attack her, but she manages to escape.

Where have I seen Heather Matarazzo before?

Heather's most famous role is as Lilly Moscovitz, best friend of Anne Hathaway’s Mia, in The Princess Diaries and its 2004 sequel. She’s also turned up in movies like Scream 3 (2000) and made her debut as a child actor in Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995). On television, she appeared in Now and Again, The L Word and Roseanne.

But there’s no doubt that Wednesday season 2 is her biggest role of recent times. The character has made a big impact on fans, and she’s become arguably the most talked-about character from the first four episodes.

Wednesday season 2 part 2 will land on Netflix on September 3. You can watch the first four parts of season 2 now.