Recently nominated for twenty Emmys, matching its record-breaking number of nominations from last year, Ted Lasso is a wholesome and charming comedy that follows the English football team AFC Richmond and their American coach, the eponymous Ted (Jason Sudeikis). The series has been praised for its positivity and rejection of toxic masculinity - yet its second season wasn’t afraid to get dark, even including an unexpected villain arc for Nate (Nick Mohammed).
Waddingham plays Rebecca, the owner of AFC Richmond who initially wants to destroy the club in order to take revenge on her ex-husband Rupert (Anthony Head). By the end of the first season, however, Rebecca is in full of Ted’s unconventional yet effective coaching style and has formed solid relationships at Richmond. Waddingham won an Emmy for her portrayal of Rebecca last year, and her performance has been universally praised as nuanced, strong, and often hilarious.
Now, Waddingham has given an update on saying goodbye to her character, as Ted Lasso season 3 has been widely reported (although not officially confirmed by Apple) to be it's last. In an interview with Deadline, Waddingham gave an update on season 3 – which is currently in production – and spoke emotionally about her connection to Rebecca, calling it a “long, slow mourning” and itting both her and her co-star Brett Goldstein are “a little bit in denial” that the show is potentially ending. Read her full quote below:
“We are halfway through shooting Season 3 and I would like to pause things because I’m not ready to say goodbye to her in three episodes. Brett and I were talking about [saying goodbye] earlier and we’re both a little bit in denial but have been expecting it since the word go at the same time. It’s like a long, slow mourning. I love her, man. She’s the girl—my girl— that I’m walking along next to and serving. I know that sounds dramatic but that’s how I feel. I feel her rippling through my bloodstream and I’m not ready to not walk with her anymore.”
Ted Lasso season 3 officially started filming in March earlier this year, so it makes sense that filming is winding down, with three episodes – including the series finale – left to shoot. It’s likely that Waddingham and Goldstein aren’t the only ones in denial about the show ending though, as many fans are probably disappointed to see one of their favorite shows wrap up after a relatively short time. Ted Lasso has such a vibrant and memorable cast of characters, it will certainly be difficult to say goodbye to them all.
However, Sudeikis and showrunner Bill Lawrence always planned Ted Lasso as a three-season story, with many of the main character’s arcs planned out from the pilot. Though season 3 has a lot to resolve, including Nate’s betrayal and his new job as coach for Rupert’s team, it’s highly likely that the Ted Lasso team will be able to pull it off. Even though Waddingham is clearly sad to be saying goodbye to her character, at least the actress and Ted Lasso fans can take comfort knowing that it will be a well-planned send-off.
Source: Deadline