Sudeikis and his 'Ted Lasso' co-stars visited the White House on Monday to discuss mental health with the president.
The Ted Lasso cast paid a visit to the White House on Monday afternoon, where they discussed the importance of mental health with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
Jason Sudeikis, also a series co-creator/executive producer, was joined by Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Toheeb Jimoh for the special trip to Washington, D.C. as they took part in the press briefing with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre prior to their meeting with the Bidens.
"On behalf of myself, everyone here with me today and the numerous other folks that it takes to make our show, Ted Lasso, it is sincerely an honor to visit the White House and the opportunity to speak to the president and the first lady about the importance of mental health," Sudeikis said at the podium. "No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably -- I assume -- we all know someone who has or have been that someone ourselves, actually, that's struggled. That's felt isolated, that's felt anxious, that has felt alone. And it's actually one of the many things that, believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings."
"It's something that we all, and should, talk about with one another when we're feeling that way or when we recognize that in someone feeling that way. So please, we encourage everyone -- and it's a big theme of the show -- to check in with your neighbor, with your co-worker, your friends, your family. And ask how they're doing. And listen sincerely," he continued. "While it's easier said than done, we also have to know that we shouldn't be afraid to ask for help ourselves. That does take a lot, especially when it's something that has such negative stigma to it such as mental health and it doesn't need to be that way. If you can ask for that help from a professional, fantastic. If it needs to be a loved one, equally as good in a lot of ways because sometimes you need to let that pressure valve release."
Sudeikis credited President Biden for "working very hard" to make sure mental health services is "available to as many Americans as possible."
He closed his statements by saying, "We should all do our best to help take care of each other," despite differences in perspectives or opinions. "That's my own personal belief. I think that's something that everyone up here on stage believes in. That's the thing we talk about in the writers' room, we talk about in the editing room and everything in between. And we just want to emulate these make-believe folks that we all play at AFC Richmond and the way they take care of one another. That is the wish fulfillment of the show."
Afterward, Sudeikis took a question from the press -- and it turned out to be none other than "fake journalist" Trent Crimm (played by James Lance), a reporter from The Independent who has appeared on Ted Lasso since the very beginning of the series.
Trent's question had nothing to do with mental health and everything to do with Kansas City being named a host city for the FIFA World Cup in 2026. "Here I was, hoping for a softball," Sudeikis said in character as Ted.
In another memorable moment, as Sudeikis left the stage, he was asked to do an impression of President Biden, harkening back to his Saturday Night Live days. The actor politely declined, saying, "No, they got the real one here now."
Cast members Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Cristo Fernandez, Kola Bokinni and Billy Harris were also expected to be present for the White House visit.
On Sunday, Biden teased the Ted Lasso visit on Twitter with a photo of the show's signature bright yellow "Believe" sign above the door to the Oval Office with a one-word tweet, "Tomorrow."
Ted Lasso stars Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team -- despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination... and biscuits. Throughout its run, the series has touched on mental health topics such as anxiety and grief, with the titular character going to therapy following a divorce and navigating through severe panic attacks.
Season 3, which launched last week on Apple TV+, finds Ted and Nate (Nick Mohammed) on opposing sides after Nate burned his bridges with Ted and AFC Richmond. He abandoned the team altogether to head up West Ham United under the leadership of Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head), the conniving ex-husband of Richmond boss Rebecca Welton (Waddingham).
With rumors swirling that season 3 could be Ted Lasso's last, Sudeikis all but confirmed that that was the plan in the writers' room.
"I mean, that's how we went about writing it, that we wanted to close up this chapter of it -- so much changed with when you hire writers, when you cast it, just based on the elements of the day like, 'Oh, we want this to happen, but oh, it’s raining,' so you have go with the flow," Sudeikis told ET in March. "So, there’s good ways to go with the flow, and there’s adjustments. It’s all been splendid and harmonious, but the idea was to do three years. I mean, if we had the opportunity, if we were able to, never know how something's going to be received."
"This thing could have really been a sticky turd, or it could have been just what it is, and people still not like it and not get to do it. The fact that we get to do it -- lovely," he said.
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