'Ted Lasso' Makes History With 20 Emmy Nominations

The feel-good Apple TV+ comedy, which stars Jason Sudeikis as an unlikely soccer coach, has already won big awards this year.

Life may not be all about wins and losses, but Ted Lasso is up for some big wins at this year's Emmys! The feel-good Apple TV+ comedy -- which stars Jason Sudeikis as the unlikely new coach of a English soccer club -- scored a record-setting number of Emmy nominations on Tuesday, including nods for Best Comedy Series, Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Sudeikis, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple, and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed and Jeremy Swift.

Ted Lasso also scored Creative Arts Emmy nominations in writing, directing, casting, production design, sound editing and mixing and main title design, putting their total this year at 20, and breaking the record for most nominations for a comedy series in their first season, previously set by Glee in 2010.

See some of the casts reactions below:

Co-creator and star Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard): "Getting nominated for an acting Emmy is as thrilling as it is surprising. Not only was this kind of thing never something I was planning or pining for, but also I’m not even the 'best supporting actor' on my own show. I am appreciative of, and humbled by, this recognition; but far more appreciative that so many of my castmates have received the same. We’re a team, but maybe we’re a team with a deep bench."

Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Welton): "I can't quite believe this is happening. I don't know what feels greater, to be recognized for my own work or all the joy I feel for my magnificent Ted Lasso family to be nominated themselves. We are a real family and to share this with them is everything. Thank you to the Television Academy. Rebecca runs through my blood stream. She is so precious to me, and this is just the icing on the cake."

Nick Mohamed (Nathan Shelley): "Honoured, baffled and utterly thrilled to be nominated alongside these absolute giants and to represent Ted Lasso and everything it/he stands for."

Juno Temple (Keeley Jones): "Oh my goodness I am absolutely speechless! Thank you so much for this overwhelming recognition of our show that has meant so much to me. Ted Lasso truly is a family and I could not be more grateful to be a part of it."

Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins): "I am very surprised to be nominated along with many of my hugely talented colleagues. Thank you Emmy voters for your support for the show. The cast, crew and creatives appreciate it very much. I hope we can continue to entertain you with forthcoming seasons. Now I am going to bed with a hot beverage."


The show has already earned major awards love for its first season. Sudeikis won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy in February, and the show scored Best Comedy Series, Best Actor in a Comedy Series and Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the Critics Choice Awards back in March. 

In his Critics Choice acceptance speech, Sudeikis thanked his ex, Olivia Wilde, for helping to inspire the series, which is based on a character he originated in a series of ads for NBC Sports' coverage of the English Premier League in 2013.

"I want to thank my kids, Otis and Daisy, and I want to thank their mom, Olivia, who had the initial idea for this as a TV show," he explained. "She was like, 'You guys like doing that so much, you should do it as a movie or a TV show,' and she was right!"

"This has been a whack-ass year," Sudeikis continued, "and this [show] has been a wonderful vessel to hear people's stories of forgiveness and redemption and healing and understanding."

See more in the video below. Ted Lasso returns for season 2 on July 23 on Apple TV+.


The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, will air live Sunday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and Paramount+. In the meantime, stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Emmys coverage.

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