How 2 Late-Night TV Stars Nearly Prevented Jason Sudeikis from Ted Lasso

Imagine if Ted Lasso was played by anyone other than Jason Sudeikis? It was almost a reality! The popular Apple TV+ series, which ran for three seasons, almost had a completely different star at the helm. In fact, two late-night TV stars were initially considered for the role, which could have changed sitcom history as we know it.

Believe it or not, NBC initially had other actors in mind for the promotional commercials that eventually led to the creation of Ted Lasso. John Oliver, known for his work on The Daily Show, was one of the first choices. However, as fate would have it, Oliver became unavailable as he started hosting The Daily Show, leading to Jon Stewart stepping in.

Seth Meyers, another late-night TV personality and former Saturday Night Live cast member, was also on NBC’s radar. Despite his talent, Meyers didn’t quite have the star power that NBC was looking for in 2013. It’s interesting to think about how different the commercials—and the eventual series—could have been with Meyers in the lead.

NBC even toyed with the idea of casting Ricky Gervais and Chris Pratt in the campaign, but neither ended up being the right fit. So how did Jason Sudeikis ultimately snag the role of Ted Lasso? According to Jeremy Egner’s book, a talent wrangler suggested Sudeikis to NBC’s marketing team.

With a background in films like Hall Pass and Horrible Bosses, as well as being a well-known cast member on Saturday Night Live, Sudeikis was the perfect choice to bring the lovable Ted Lasso to life. The original commercial featuring Sudeikis was released in 2013, just as he was leaving Saturday Night Live, paving the way for the development of the hit series we know today.