Linda Cardellini's Desire to Play 'a Badass Bitch' After Dead to Me Inspired No Good Deed Creator: 'A No-Brainer' (Exclusive)

Linda Cardellini was the catalyst for There is no good deedaccording to series creator Liz Feldman.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE about her new series, Feldman, 47, says she was in the middle of filming her second series, dead to me when Cardellini, 49, gave her the idea to write There is no good deed.

“We were filming the third season Dead to me when I started developing this idea,” Feldman says of the new series, which premiered on Netflix on Dec. 12. “I was already thinking about who was going to be in this world of buying and selling a house. And she just happened to tell me one day, after so many years of playing Judy, who was such a sweet, angelic kind of doormat of a girl, she said, ‘God, the next thing I’m going to do is I just want to play a mean bitch.'”

“Something in me just said, ‘That might be interesting,'” Feldman recalls. “And what would that look like and who would that person be in this world that I’m already creating? Because Linda and I became very good friends during the filming Dead to me. And so I said, ‘Well, that’s a no-brainer. Why don’t I try to write something for her?'”

Linda Cardellini and Liz Feldman at the Netflix Comedy Showcase Day: “No Good Deed” at the Netflix Tudum Theater on November 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

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Despite Cardellini’s desire to play the tough role, Feldman notes that she wasn’t entirely sure if things would work out.

– I didn’t know that she would do it one hundred percent – she admits. “We didn’t know if our schedules would line up and everything, but I’m thrilled that it did because she absolutely nailed it.”

IN There is no good deedCardellini plays Margo Starling, the neighbor of Lisa Kudrow and Lydia of Ray Romano and Paul Morgan who is one of the potential buyers of their house. Margo is married to JD (Luke Wilson) even though they clearly don’t get along and keep secrets in their marriage.

Margo is calculating, manipulative and dishonest – far from it Dead to me character, which she portrayed for three seasons from 2019-2022.

IN Dead to meCardellini plays Judy Hale, a quiet, positive woman who befriends Christine Applegate’s Jen Harding. The two initially bond at a bereavement support group before secrets are revealed and they become embroiled in an intricate adventure.

Christina Applegate (left) and Linda Cardellini in ‘Dead to Me’.

SAEED ADYANI/NETFLIX

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Cardellini, who was nominated for an Emmy for her role in Dead to meshe’s also thrilled to be working with Feldman, saying she “couldn’t feel happier” to be teaming up again.

“It’s the best. I love Liz. I’m so grateful to have her as a friend. I’m so grateful to know her creatively, personally. I just feel very, very lucky,” the actress told Buzzfeed. “It’s so wonderful to work with someone you really care about.”

“Liz has such a specific vision, but she’s always open to collaborating with other artists, and that makes it such a fun place to be,” she added.

Cardellini also stated that she was honored that Feldman wrote the characters specifically for her.

“Having someone as talented as Liz look up to you and specifically ask you what you’d like to do next is just such a gift. It’s an honor,” she said. “And then realizing that and knowing that even what I’m thinking about, whatever I can dream up, is going to be more twisted and layered than I ever imagined. And it’s just delicious like that.”

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There is no good deed now streaming on Netflix.

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Source: HIS Education