Jason Sudeikis on how 'Ted Lasso' Season 2 is similar to 'The Empire Strikes Back'

Jason Sudeikis on how 'Ted Lasso' Season 2 is similar to 'The Empire Strikes Back'

We'd want to point you that Jason Sudeikis is not Ted Lasso.

Although his friendly demeanor and talkative conversational style make him appear extremely similar to the hot protagonist of Apple TV+'s "Ted Lasso," they are not the same person, despite the fact that Sudeikis faces this misconception from time to time when talking with fans.

In a recent video interview with USA TODAY, Sudeikis quips, "I correct them; tell them my name is Jason, in the friendliest manner possible." "There are no lessons on how to be famous," he adds. "I've always felt compelled to reciprocate the energy that you've given me." If you meet someone who is a little bullish, you could encounter them there. However, if people are enjoying 'Ted Lasso,' they’re usually coming up and speaking through a place of kindness and appreciation. I just try to reciprocate that." 

The co-creator and star of "Lasso," which returns this week for a highly anticipated second season (new episodes will be available on Fridays), is no stranger to the popularity of his comedy, which debuted on the streaming service last year to widespread praise. It garnered 20 Emmy nods this month, including seven for its stars (Sudeikis included). The comedy, about an excessively exuberant American football coach (Sudeikis) who takes a position as head coach of a British Premier League soccer team, provided a refreshingly upbeat perspective. Many people found its upbeat, cheerful tone to be precisely what they needed while the COVID-19 epidemic raged.

"It's incredible," Sudeikis, 45, says of the responses from authors and cast members. "And it is nothing we could have predicted. It's difficult to even speak (about) because it seems so genuine and genuine."

All of that acclaim hasn't gotten to his head yet, or at least it hasn't changed how he and the writers approached the second season.

"A great lot of obligation to let everyone know that we wrote this second season prior to the publication of the first one, so just know that it's being done with the same care, craft, and meaning," he says.

But, after all those Emmy awards and praises, writing the third season? That might be an issue, he jokes. "It may be a disaster since we'll all be running low on supplies."

Season 2 begins with Lasso's AFC Richmond side being relegated (or demoted) from the Premier League to the Champions League, despite their continued inability to win games. Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), a veteran player, has retired, Nate (Nick Mohammed) has been promoted to assistant coach, and owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) is finally pouring her heart and soul into developing the club. Ted, for the first time, cares considerably more about winning.

"While Ted may not have been focused on victories and losses in the first season, he's got the itch of wanting to go back into the Premier League now," Sudeikis adds. "However, some of the bigger shifts in storytelling that we're doing are prompted by the addition of a couple new cast members," including Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles), a sports psychologist who "comes in and kind of shakes things up, and some of the things that she shakes up might be inside Ted himself."

Sudeikis only mentions the third season of "Lasso" because he and his co-creators – Brendan Hunt (who portrays Coach Beard), Joe Kelly, and Bill Lawrence – envisioned the series in three parts.

"We kind of fashioned it after the British 'Office,'" he explains, alluding to the Ricky Gervais sitcom's two short seasons and Christmas specials. ""Anything is conceivable, and truly the tale, and more especially the characters, let you know whether there's more there," he says. So I assume that will be a topic of discussion when we enter the writers' room for Season 3."

Season 2 will be similar to "The Empire Strikes Back" installment from the original "Star Wars" trilogy, according to his current perspective, and the 1980 picture will even be mentioned in the season premiere.

As passionate as he is about the future of "Lasso," Sudeikis is arguably more passionate about "Star Wars."

"It's three acts," he emphasizes about the "Star Wars" plot. "I'm guessing they've created additional films outside the first three? But..."

And it's here that Sudeikis distinguishes himself from Ted since the constantly upbeat coach couldn't say anything negative about any movie, even the terrible "Star Wars" flicks.