Yahoo Finance Ted Lasso Wins Big at 2021 Emmys with Four Awards Including Outstanding Comedy Series
Ted Lasso has won over audiences since it premiered last year on Apple TV+, and they kept that momentum going Sunday at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.
The critical darling, which was developed by its star Jason Sudeikis, led the evening's nominees with 13 nods at the awards show. The cast and creative team took to the stage together to accept the award for outstanding comedy series, for which they beat Black-ish, Hacks, The Flight Attendant, Cobra Kai, The Kominsky Method, Pen15 and Emily in Paris.
Sudeikis, 46, won his first Emmy Award earlier in the evening, when he was chosen as outstanding lead actor in a comedy series. "I would say that this show is about family, this show is about mentors and teachers, this show is about teammates, and I wouldn't be here without those three things in my life," he said in his speech.
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"I want to thank my teammates... that helped make this show, Brendan [Hunt] and Joe [Kelly], first and foremost, from the get-go, Bill [Lawrence]. I want to thank our incredible writing staff, I want to thank our incredible directors, I want to thank my incredible cast. Look, I'm only as good as you guys make me look, so really, it means the world to me to be up here and just be a mirror of what you guys give to me, and we just reflect back and forth on each other."
Based on a character Sudeikis originally debuted in 2013 for a series of NBC Sports promos, the show follows happy-go-lucky American football coach Ted Lasso to England, where he's hired to helm the English Premier League team AFC Richmond, despite having no experience in soccer.
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Hannah Waddingham also took home her first Emmy, as well as the first award of the evening, winning outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, for which her costar Juno Temple was also nominated.
"Jason, you've changed my life with this and more importantly my baby girl's. Honestly, I'm so privileged to work with you," Waddingham, 47, said in her speech, before gushing over Temple, 32: "If you ever leave, I'm going to stalk you."
She plays Rebecca Welton, who wins ownership over AFC Richmond in her divorce settlement. Although she originally plans to ruin the team to spite her ex-husband, Coach Lasso soon wins her over with his upbeat disposition.
Brett Goldstein was a first-time winner as well. He won the next category, outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, beating out costars Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed and Jeremy Swift.
"I was very, very specifically told I'm not allowed to swear, so..." he started in his speech, before the next few words were censored on air. "Thank you Warner, thank you Apple, thank you to the team, to my teammates that I'm nominated with. This cast makes me sick, they're so good."
"Lastly, I want to say to Jason, Bill, Brendan and Joe Kelly, thank you for creating this show and inviting me to be a part of it," Goldstein, 41, raved. "It has been one of the greatest honors, privileges and privileges — I just said that twice, but it's a double privilege. It's the most privileged privileges and pleasures of my life."
Apple TV+ Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso
He plays the lovably angry Roy Kent, a midfielder for AFC Richmond with an affinity for swearing and a heart of gold. After a knee injury forces him into retirement, Roy eventually finds his way back to the team as an assistant coach.
New episodes of Ted Lasso drop Fridays on Apple TV+, with the season 2 finale available October 8 on the streaming platform. The show received an early renewal for season 3 in October 2020.
"I thought it was super cocky of us to think we'd make it to three," Sudeikis said on the Today show in July. "That was just swagger that has now manifested into actually having to do it. It's frightening."
The 73rd Emmy Awards, hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, are airing live from 8-11 p.m. ET on CBS.
