Ozark, Netflix’s blockbuster drama series, has no lack of dangerous and crafty individuals; after all, it’s about money laundering for a Mexican drug gang. And, despite the fact that the Navarro Cartel’s boss should be the most terrifying character on the program, he isn’t. Laura Linney as Wendy Byrde, the first untrusting housewife of money laundering mastermind Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), is by far the most menacing character in Ozark.

Throughout the four seasons, Laura Linney was completely sublime as Wendy. Her acting skills were second to none in the series. And she deserves all the praise for the love-hate we have for her character.

Now finally, Hollyweed itself is commemorating the actress’s long career with a well-deserving star on the Hollywood walk of fame. So to celebrate the award-winning actress’s star, let us take a look back at the five most excellent Wendy moments from Ozark, proving Laura’s extraordinary acting skills.

Top 5 Laura Linney moments as Wendy in Ozark

When Wendy decides to stay

Wendy is obliged to be brave several times during the series, and she quickly finds that she doesn’t have to do it alone. Wendy surprises Marty with her contentious choice to stay just as they are preparing to leave the Ozarks after successfully constructing the casino.

She reminds him that they are “holding the gun” and that they can rely on partners like the Navarro cartel to defend them. Outside of that controlled setting, she knows there’s no telling how soon the FBI or Interpol will track them down.

Wendy gains the trust of Navarro and saves her family

Wendy recalls some of her greatest days in politics when she had to utilize her abilities to manipulate strong government officials. She knows she’s in her element in that environment, so when she notices Navarro’s cartel is losing money, she believes it’s the right opportunity to sell Helen “on the idea of expansion.”

This concept arguably saves Byrdes’ life, as Navarro gets faith that Wendy understands just how to influence public opinion and assist him in legitimately expanding his empire. It’s the beginning of the end for Helen, as Navarro will soon demonstrate how delighted he is with Wendy’s scheme.

Wendy manipulates Pastor Mason

Wendy thrives when she is in a tense position. This is shown at a difficult period in her life when she is abducted and kept hostage by Pastor Mason for ransom. Wendy, who is no longer religious, leverages Mason’s convictions to lure him into trusting her.

She encourages him to seek out “the righteous path,” which is clearly not the one he is currently on. She almost gets away from him as a result of her deception.

Using Ben’s death for her own gains

If we are talking about Laura’s top moments, how can one forget her heart-crushing speech at her own brother’s funeral? Wendy’s exploitation of Ben’s terrible death to promote her partnership with Clare infuriates everybody around her, even those watching at home. When Marty confronts her about it, she simply says, “It’s good PR,” pointing to how it’s promoting her Clare Shaw project.

Unapologetically menacing Wendy

To say Wendy’s impulsive choice to stay in the Ozarks generated issues in her marriage is an understatement. Marty claims to his therapist that Wendy “has a much higher tolerance for risk” than he does, prompting Wendy’s renowned comment about going forward.

She realizes that their initial plan to go to Australia and hide is a pipe dream since they would be on the run for the rest of their lives.

Which moment is your favorite? Let us know in the comments. All seasons of Ozark are currently available on Netflix.