The Ozark Star Who Dreamt About Their Character's Fate Before They Filmed It
Contains spoilers for the "Ozark" series finale
Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams' "Ozark" has had a home on Netflix since July of 2017, and in the years since its arrival, it has become a subscriber favorite. Not to mention, it thrived with critics and even secured a few awards, making it a bonafide success for all involved. However, much like the vast majority of Netflix original shows, it won't enjoy longevity akin to "The Simpsons" or "M*A*S*H," seeing as the fourth season turned out to be the last. Thus, on April 29, 2022, "Ozark" concluded its five-year streaming run.
As of this writing, the show wrapped up just under a week ago, yet fans are still talking about what the final installment had to offer. It packed in some genuinely shocking and intense moments, which naturally brought with them no shortage of bloodshed. "Ozark" is all about working outside of the system to get ahead, after all, so seeing characters suddenly end up dead shouldn't be so surprising. At the same time, one death, in particular, left many fans uneasy and angry, even though the person behind the character saw it coming.
Long before they'd learn of their "Ozark" alter-ego's fate in Season 4's "A Hard Way to Go," this actress actually dreamed about their on-screen death.
Julia Garner foresaw Ruth Langmore's demise
Alongside main stars such as Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney), Julia Garner's Ruth Langmore became a focal point of "Ozark" during her time on the program. Brought up around criminals, she elects to use her acquired skills to accumulate wealth and power so she can remove herself from her old life. Sadly for her, she doesn't get to realize this dream since Camila Elizondro (Verónica Falcón) kills her for murdering her son, Javi (Alfonso Herrera). This end for the character caught most viewers off-guard, but Garner herself didn't share in this reaction.
According to Vanity Fair, Julia Garner engaged in some deep meditation to get into Ruth's mindset, almost rendering herself unconscious. In this state, she'd ask herself questions and challenge herself to answer them as her "Ozark" character, delving into Ruth's psyche in the process. One question asked Ruth what she's afraid of, and the answer that came to Garner was that she's afraid to die. A few moments later, showrunner Chris Mundy called her, and during their chat, Garner pressed him on whether or not Ruth would die in the series finale. He responded with a confused "Who told you?"
Is this just a case of coincidence? Or is it proof that it was Julia Garner's destiny to play Ruth Langmore? Either way, this is a fascinating story to tack onto the mildly controversial goodbye of "Ozark."