Linda Cardellini Breaks Down Her Complex Role In HBO’s ‘DTF St. Louis’

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentLinda Cardellini Breaks Down Her Complex Role In HBO’s ‘DTF St. Louis’ByDana Feldman,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dana Feldman is a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers entertainment.Follow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 07:48pm EDTLinda Cardellini discusses her portrayal of a woman facing the aftermath of a deadly love triangle in 'DTF St. Louis' on HBO.Photo Courtesy of Tina Rowden/HBOLinda Cardellini has spent decades proving she’s one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers. Throughout a career spanning comedy, drama, and mystery, she has consistently transformed herself, making each character feel entirely distinct. Whether portraying the warm-hearted and endlessly forgiving Judy Hale in Dead to Me or delivering quietly devastating performances in films like Brokeback Mountain and Green Book, Cardellini has built a reputation on range rather than typecasting.That ability to disappear into a character reaches new heights in creator Steven Conrad’s critically acclaimed HBO limited series DTF St. Louis. As Carol Love-Smernitch, Cardellini delivers perhaps her most intriguing and enigmatic performance to date. Carol is a woman navigating middle-aged malaise, financial strain, family pressures, and complicated relationships. Yet for much of the series, viewers are left wondering who she truly is and whether her motives are good or bad. “She's very opaque, and then it cracks open as things go on. I loved that about reading her because I originally assumed, ‘Okay, I know who this character is. I see where they're going with this.’ And then I realized I was completely wrong,” explained Cardellini in an interview. “I think Steve has such a beautiful touch in how he subverts your expectations and makes the characters more than you believed they were.” MORE FOR YOUIs Carol a victim of circumstance? A calculating manipulator? A devoted mother making impossible choice...