Jason Sudeikis Explains Why Ted Lasso's Character Changed Because of Modern Culture

By Kofi Outlaw

Ted Lasso Season 3 was a true labor of love for star Jason Sudeikis and everyone involved – as well as a highly-publicized mess. Sudeikis took on a bigger creative role for Season 3, and he has been pretty upfront about how difficult it was to balance the creative arc of the new season with what was happening in the world – and his own life. Then again, the pressures of the world weighing on Ted Lasso has been part of the show since the beginning. 

In fact, in a new interview with The Guardian, Jason Sudeikis talks candidly about how the state of the world really made him re-examine who his Ted Lasso character was, and what his thematic arc is: 

"It was the culture we were living in," Sudeikis said. "I'm not terribly active online and it even affected me. Then you have Donald Trump coming down the escalator. I was like, 'OK, this is silly,' and then what he unlocked in people... I hated how people weren't listening to one another... Things became very binary and I don't think that's the way the world works," Sudeikis said. "And, as a new parent – we had our son Otis in 2014 – it was like, 'Boy, I don't want to add to this.' Yeah, I just didn't want to portray it."

That backstory really does change the perception of Ted Lasso's character arc – especially in Season 1. The show really struck a chord with viewers by offering a sobering and level-headed message about trying to remain good and hopeful in a time when the world may be telling you to be anything but. It didn't just preach that philosophy, Sudeikis and co. made Ted's personal story into the complex reveal of a man living in one of the worst periods of his own life. That thematic path hasn't gotten easier to walk in the subsequent years since Ted Lasso premiered in 2020 – leading to much speculation that the grueling process of getting Season 3 onscreen could have been the final effort for the series. 

Is Ted Lasso Season 4 Happening? 

is-ted-lasso-season-4-happening-jason-sudeikis.jpg
(Photo: Apple TV+)

According to Channing Dungey, the Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group: 

Related:

"What had initially been the vision that Jason and Bill [Lawrence] had when they went into season one, was very much a three-act structure. Then I think it becomes one of those things that as you get going with it, and if you fall in love with that world and those characters, it's hard to say goodbye."

That said, Dungey admits that more Ted Lasso is not mandatory, as Season 3"ends beautifully. If that is all we do in the Ted Lasso universe, I think the fans will be really happy and excited. But there's also a way to crack open a door. If we're fortunate enough to do more, we can keep on going." 

Trending Now: