Get to know the cast of 'Ted Lasso'

Following its premiere in August 2020, Ted Lasso quickly topped every must-watch and was lauded as the series that put Apple TV on the map. A few minutes spent inside the world of the Richmond football club and it’s easy to see why. The feel-good show about two fish-out-of-water American football coaches, played by show creators Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, trying to help an English football club reclaim their former glory years is filled with humour, empathy, and just enough silliness to keep viewers laughing even in the middle of a pandemic.

An award show darling after only the first season, the series has already amassed an impressive trophy collection, including Critics Choice Television Awards for Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham, a Golden Globe for Sudeikis and a Peabody Award. Going into the 2021 Emmy Awards, the show has earned an impressive 13 nominations for season one, including seven acting nominations and a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series.

While most North American viewers are already well acquainted with Sudeikis thanks to his years spent on SNL and his films like We’re The Millers, Horrible Bosses and Booksmart, most of the Ted Lasso cast is new to viewers across the pond. It’s time to get to know the members of AFC Richmond.

Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Welton)

Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

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I had devoured all of Season 1 of Ted Lasso before my friend texted to say, “Do you recognize Rebecca?” I didn’t. She sent a second text that gave the hint ‘Game of Thrones.’ Crickets, and I’ve seen every GoT episode - twice. I finally had to admit defeat and check IMDB in order to appreciate the immense talent of Hannah Waddingham brilliantly portraying soccer club owner and HBIC Rebecca Welton, and Septa Unella on GoT a.k.a. the ‘Shame’ nun that Cersei tortures. Leslie and Seth understand my response. The 47-year-old British actor, who has received three Oliver Award nominations for her work in theatre, has also appeared in the Netflix series Sex Education and the UK’s Hollyoaks, My Family, and Midsomer Murders. But let’s be clear – any actor who can pull off Rebecca on Ted Lasso and Septa Unella deserves all the awards. All of them. Even the Emmy for Best Lighting. Give it to Waddingham.

Best Rebecca Welton Quote: “It's a profile on women in football. It's not a big deal. There's, like, four of us: me, Karen, Delia and Posh Spice.”

Juno Temple (Keeley Jones)

Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

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There are not many actors who could portray Keeley Jones, a beautiful, rich and highly-sought-after footballer's girlfriend and make her so likeable, but that is the power of Juno Temple. Thankfully, Temple has been given plenty of great material, including her friendship with Rebecca and her frank advice to anyone who comes her way. The 32-year-old actor has been working on major projects since childhood, including 2007’s Atonement starring Saorise Ronan, James McAvoy and Keira Knightley. She later appeared in The Other Boleyn Girl with Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johannson, Year One opposite Michael Cera and Jack Black and 2015’s Black Mass with Johnny Depp. Ted Lasso isn’t Temple’s first foray into TV, having starred in the HBO series Vinyl and more recently, the Apple TV show Mr. Corman.

Best Keeley Jones Quote: “I’m sort of famous for being almost famous.”

Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent)

Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

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Should Brett Goldstein win an Emmy for consistently delivering his gruff Roy Kent voice in every episode of Ted Lasso? We can’t say for certain, but also, yes. The writer-turned-actor was hired by Bill Lawrence (Scrubs, Cougar Town, Spin City) initially as a writer for Ted Lasso, a position that eventually expanded into Goldstein playing the perpetually annoyed Roy Kent (He’s here! He’s there! He’s every f… you know). A writer, comedian and actor, North American audiences may recognize Goldstein as Tom from Ricky Gervais’ series Derek. He’s also appeared on episodes of Drunk History and Doctor Who and wrote the AMC series Soulmates, which stars Succession's Sarah Snook. For those who want to listen to Goldstein’s much calmer and friendlier real voice, he continues to host the podcast Films To Be Buried With With Brett Goldstein. Yup, there are two ‘withs’ in the title. Roy Kent would hate that.

Best Roy Kent Quote: “It’s more than a game to me. It’s all I’ve ever known. It’s who I am. It’s all I am.”

Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard)

Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

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In one of the best pairings in TV history, Brendan Hunt stars opposite Jason Sudeikis as the ultimate straight man, Coach Beard. He understands all of Ted’s jokes, he can finish Ted’s sentences, he knows when to support Ted and when to push back, and he’s always ready with a morning coffee since Ted and tea are on a lifelong hiatus.

Hunt and Sudeikis’ natural chemistry shouldn’t come as a surprise. The pair have been friends since the early 2000s when they met at Boom Chicago in Amsterdam. The improv theatre has been the breeding ground for some of the biggest names in comedy, with alums including Seth Meyers, Ike Barinholtz, Kay Cannon and Jordan Peele. After leaving Boom Chicago in 2008, Hunt wrote and starred in several successful comedy theatre shows and was a writer and actor on Key & Peele, even earning an Emmy for writing alongside his Boom Chicago friend Jordan Peele. Hunt and Sudeikis reunited for Horrible Bosses 2 and Hunt has appeared in Parks and Recreation, How I Met Your Mother and Community. In 2013, Hunt and Sudeikis teamed up to write an advertising campaign for NBC Sports, which starred Sudeikis as an American football coach in the UK. The sketch was inspired by the pair’s pastime of playing the FIFA video game after Boom Chicago shows and went on to become TV show you may have heard of. Ned Passo? Is that it?

Best Coach Beard Quote: “You know how they came up with soccer? So, these Victorian-era headmasters, all they wanted to do was get the boys to stop masturbating. So, they invented a sport where the boys wouldn't use their hands at all, and they thought that might do the trick. I'm not sure if it worked.”

Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins)

Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

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While it first appeared as though Jeremy Swift’s Leslie Higgins was going to be the doormat of AFC Richmond, the character thankfully developed into an integral part of the cast and club, first as Rebecca’s right-hand man and later as a Diamond Dogs member. Like Waddingham, the 61-year-old Swift has also spent much of his career in the theatre and on British miniseries and films, including Gosford Park and Vanity Fair. North American audiences likely recognize Swift from his time on Downton Abbey, where he played Septimus Spratt, the sour and scheming butler to Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess. Swift also appeared in 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns opposite Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Best Leslie Higgins Quote: “I suppose the best brand is being yourself.”

Nick Mohammed (Nate Shelley)

Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

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Nate is the ultimate underdog on Ted Lasso and thanks to his deep understanding of the game and generally positive attitude (poor Will Kitman), he gets the promotion he deserves to assistant coach. It would be easy to make Nate the Great a one-dimensional character who is constantly afraid of their own shadow, but actor and comedian Nick Mohammed injects just enough bravado to keep viewers cheering for the kit man turned coach. A newbie to North American audiences, Mohammed is much better known in his native UK, where the 40-year-old found success on both sketch and scripted series like Sorry, I’ve Got No Head, Drifters and The Job Lot. Mohammed’s voice can be heard as Piglet in 2018’s Christopher Robin, which feels like spot-on and soothing casting. He also created the British sitcom Intelligence, which debuted in 2020 and stars Mohammed opposite someone North American audiences know very well.

Best Nate Shelley Quote: “You're more concerned about looking tough than actually being tough. There's a way to be intimidating without being physical. I hope you don't mind me saying.”

Sarah Niles (Dr. Sharon Fieldstone)

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Do we have to be an athlete to book a session with Dr. Fieldstone, because she really seems to know what she’s doing? Actually, actor Sarah Niles also seems to know what she’s doing. Those who were immersed into the brilliant Michaela Coel series I May Destroy You likely recognized Niles for playing Officer Funmi. The English actor may keep things serious on Ted Lasso, but fans of Catastrophe (stop what you’re doing and binge all of Catastrophe immediately) got to see her comedic side as lead actor Sharon Horgan’s friend and co-worker. Another theatre thespian, Niles has appeared in productions at all the British biggies, including National Theatre, The Royal Court, The Old Vic and The Bush Theatre.

Best Dr. Fieldstone Quote: “As good as you are at your job, I’m twice as good at mine.”

Phil Dunster (Jamie Tartt)

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All the characters on Ted Lasso seem like they would be fun to portray, but self-obsessed football star Jamie Tartt may be the most fun. The soccer player with the golden foot is brought to life and more importantly, brought to likability by Phil Dunster. The 29-year-old Brit has appeared on several TV shows in his home country, including Catastrophe, Humans, Catherine The Great and The Trouble With Maggie Cole. He’s also begun popping up in more feature films that have done well in North America, including Megan Leavey, Murder On The Orient Express, Judy and The Good Liar. Do-do-doo-doo-doo-Phil Dunster.

Best Jamie Tartt Quote: “Old people are so wise. They’re like tall Yodas.”

The 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards air live on CTV this Sunday, September 19 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. You can watch the Emmys live on CTV, CTV.ca, the CTV app on Android and iOS. 

BEFORE YOU GO: Elliot Page makes his red carpet debut

[video_embed id='2281395']BEFORE YOU GO: Elliot Page makes his red carpet debut [/video_embed]