Ted Lasso will officially return for its fourth season this August, but it seems the feel-good soccer comedy may not be as heartwarming behind the scenes.
Hannah Waddingham, who stars as the fictional AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton, recently hinted at tensions on set due to show creator and lead actor Jason Sudeikis‘ constant rewrites during filming.
In a recent interview with Variety magazine, the English actress, 51, said she has an ‘ongoing love-hate relationship’ with Sudeikis – who cast himself as Ted Lasso, an American college football coach hired to coach an English soccer team – because of his propensity to change scenes at the ‘last minute.’
According to multiple sources who spoke to the Daily Mail, Waddingham is not the only person to take issue with Sudeikis’ ‘hands-on’ and ‘perfectionist’ approach.
Rather, it seems the 50-year-old actor has earned a reputation in Hollywood as being ‘difficult’ to work with, as his ‘frustrating’ on-set behavior has sometimes created a ‘stressful’ working environment.
Jason Sudeikis, 50, has built a reputation as being ‘difficult’ to work with, sources have told the Daily Mail
Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, 51, said she has an ‘ongoing love-hate relationship with Sudeikis’ in an interview with Variety
‘Jason is known in the industry as someone difficult to work with,’ an insider told the Daily Mail.
‘What Hannah said is not surprising. This seems typical of Jason. A lot of people in the industry also have a “love-hate relationship” with him.’
Following the show’s season three finale in May 2023, fans had been prepared to say goodbye to Ted Lasso as speculation about a fourth season largely hinged on whether Sudeikis would be willing to return.
But, for those fans, it is happy news that the AppleTV+ series will return on August 5.
Back in 2022, production on the third season of Ted Lasso faced significant delays – most notably, sources told news outlet Puck at the time, because Sudeikis had undertaken a massive rewrite of the series.
While production on the 12-episode season was initially slated to begin in September 2021, filming didn’t start until March 2022 and scripts were reportedly being changed well into April.
It was also reported that the delays had put Ted Lasso an estimated 20 to 30 percent over budget for production on the season. Leading up to its release, even Sudeikis himself said the season would be its last.
A second source described the set of Ted Lasso as ‘not a happy place’ during that time, with cast and crew alike struggling to navigate Sudeikis’ ‘perfectionist’ behavior.
According to multiple sources who spoke to the Daily Mail, Waddingham is not the only person to take issue with Sudeikis’ ‘hands-on’ and ‘perfectionist’ approach
‘Jason is known in the industry as someone difficult to work with,’ an insider told the Daily Mail.
‘Ted Lasso was not a walk in the park to work on,’ the second source told the Daily Mail.
‘There was no pleasing Jason ever. It was never good enough, no matter how good it actually was and there were a lot of unhappy people working there because of that.
‘I’m not sure if it was a personality trait of Jason’s that makes it that way, or if it was something else. But on that set, he was beyond a perfectionist. The set was not a happy place to be a part of.’
Of Sudeikis, our first insider described a strict work ethic: ‘He very much plays by his own rules and doesn’t like doing things that he’s not contractually obligated to do.
‘He won’t just make a surprise appearance at a fan or media event if it wasn’t something he was contractually paid to do. He only takes on projects that are a good fit for him and any campaigns or partnerships that match his interest.’
A 2021 report from the Hollywood Reporter estimated that Sudeikis agreed to a season three deal that saw him earn $1 million per episode. Ahead of season four, it has been reported that fee has risen to around $3 million per episode.
Our first source said: ‘Of course, the pay has to be good too or he won’t waste his time. He won’t just partner with anyone.’
Before the debut of Ted Lasso in 2020, comedian Sudeikis was already well-known for his ten-year stint on Saturday Night Live, as well as his high-profile relationship with his former fiancée, actress Olivia Wilde.
But as millions of viewers fell in love with Ted Lasso’s wholesome, optimistic storyline and endearing characters, particularly amid a global pandemic, Sudeikis’ was transformed into a household name.
He has since earned two consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and two Emmys as the show’s executive producer.
His personal life also made headlines when his relationship with Wilde, with whom he has two children, came to an end after nine years. Shortly after their split in 2020, Wilde, 42, began dating her Don’t Worry Darling co-star Harry Styles.
The split became ugly with allegations that Wilde had cheated on Sudeikis with Styles – which she has always denied – while their custody battle over their two children (son Otis, 12, and daughter Daisy, nine) also played out in the public eye.
In September 2023, the former couple finally settled on sharing joint custody, with Sudeikis agreeing to pay $27,500 in monthly child support, according to court documents.
Despite his rising status in Hollywood, our first insider described how Sudeikis has tried to ‘live as much of a normal life’ as he can.
His 2020 split from ex-fiancée Olivia Wilde (right) made headlines amid allegations of cheating and a public custody battle (pictured in 2019)
‘He hates press and the “fame” side of things like doing red carpets. He tries to live as much of a normal life as he can outside of his acting career, so when it comes to promoting things, he tries to do as minimal as possible or whatever is in his contract,’ the source said.
‘He’s also very much on his own schedule, but at the same time prioritizes his personal life.’
As Ted Lasso catapulted Sudeikis into a leading man, the show’s success had also turned its ensemble – including Waddingham and comedian Brett Goldstein – into breakout stars.
Before she landed the role of Rebecca Welton, Waddingham had largely been known for musical performances on Broadway and London’s West End, as well as small roles in HBO series Game of Thrones and Netflix’s Sex Education.
Since Ted Lasso, she has been nominated three times for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, taking home the award in 2021.
However, amid massive delays on the show’s third season, it has been reported that Waddingham and her Ted Lasso co-stars were all beholden to the show – despite not knowing when production would ultimately begin.
A third source told the Daily Mail that although Waddingham cares ‘deeply’ about Sudeikis and ‘enjoys’ working with her co-star, his reputation as a ‘micro-manager’ can lead to some ‘tension’ on set.
‘Jason is known for being extremely hands-on and a micro-manger,’ the third insider said.
Another source told the Daily Mail that Waddingham cares ‘deeply’ about Sudeikis and ‘enjoys’ working with her co-star (pictured in January 2024)
The source said that Sudeikis’ reputation as a ‘micro-manager’ can lead to some ‘tension’ on set, which Waddingham ‘feels at times’ (pictured in February 2024)
‘While he is talented, funny and genuinely kind away from set, his attention to every detail can sometimes make the working environment stressful. Hannah, in particular, feels this at times,’ the insider continued.
‘She cares deeply about him and enjoys working with him, but she also values preparation and likes to arrive on set knowing exactly how a scene is meant to play out. When changes are made at the last minute, it can be frustrating because she prefers to work from what was originally written on the page.’
Both Waddingham and her co-stars are said to have ‘adapted’ to Sudeikis’ creative process, especially because Ted Lasso has been ‘such an important and rewarding part of her career.’
‘Many others on set understand her perspective, and there can occasionally be some tension as people navigate Jason’s highly involved approach. However, it’s not anything close to a major conflict,’ the third insider said.
‘No one is looking to leave the show, and there are certainly no concerns about anyone being fired. At this point, it’s more of a workplace quirk that the cast and crew have learned to live with.’
And with Sudeikis as the show’s co-creator, executive producer and head writer, in addition to playing its titular character role, the source noted that the cast and crew ‘have found a way’ to roll with his unconventional working style.
‘In fact, it’s the kind of thing they’ll probably laugh and joke about whenever the topic comes up in the future,’ they added.
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Sudeikis and Waddingham for comment.
Waddingham later blasted speculation of a so-called ‘rift’ between herself and Sudeikis in a post shared to Instagram
Both Sudeikis and Waddingham are set to reprise their respective roles as Ted Lasso and Rebecca Welton in season four of Ted Lasso
Following her interview with Variety magazine last month, Waddingham took to her Instagram on Tuesday to blast speculation of a so-called ‘rift’ with Sudeikis.
‘For the first time ever I am finding it necessary to silence the utter bollocks being written about a “rift” between me and my beloved, long-standing friend and acting partner Jason Sudeikis,’ she wrote. ‘Ridiculous, clickbait bulls***! Is it a quiet news day or something?! Get a life!!!’
Unlike the show’s third season, filming for season four promptly began in July last year in Kansas City, Missouri, Sudeikis’ hometown.
The show will pick up immediately following the end of season three, which saw Ted move back to the US to be closer to his son and ex-wife.
A description for the fourth season has also revealed that Ted will return to London to coach AFC Richmond’s women’s soccer team.
A slate of new cast members were announced in July last year as filming picked up for the fourth season. Waddingham and Goldstein will both be reprising their roles, as well as stars Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt and Jeremy Swift.
