Jason Sudeikis and ‘Ted Lasso’ scored 20 Emmy nods but can win ‘only’ 9. Here’s why

Sharon Hoffmann
·2 min read
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“Ted Lasso,” starring Kansas City’s own Jason Sudeikis as the ever optimistic Kansas football coach turned British soccer coach, is favored to score big during Sunday’s 73rd Emmy Awards telecast (7 p.m., CBS).

Sudeikis and the show already pulled in statuettes at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Writers Guild Awards, among others. This past week, “Ted Lasso” dominated the Television Critics Association awards, winning three top honors for Outstanding New Program, Outstanding Achievement in Comedy and Program of the Year.

That might just be foreshadowing for the Emmys. “Ted Lasso” season one was showered with 20 nominations, the most ever for a new comedy (“Glee” held the previous record with 19 in 2010).

“The cast shines, the writing crackles, and it pairs the rhythm of a classic sitcom with the heart of a sports movie,” Seth Meyers, Sudeikis’ fellow “Saturday Night Live” alum, wrote in an essay published this past week for Time magazine’s “The 100 Most Influential People of 2021.” “It’s hard to make something this good look so easy.”

There’s no way “Ted Lasso” can win all 20 Emmy Awards because in some cases it was nominated multiple times in the same category. Also, several awards were announced last weekend at the Creative Arts Emmys.

The actors playing the “Ted Lasso” coaches, from left, Nick Mohammed, Jason Sudeikis, and Brendan Hunt, are all nominated for Emmy Awards.
The actors playing the “Ted Lasso” coaches, from left, Nick Mohammed, Jason Sudeikis, and Brendan Hunt, are all nominated for Emmy Awards.

At this point, the most it could win is nine awards. Here’s what’s at stake:

  • Comedy series

  • Actor: Jason Sudeikis

  • Supporting actor: Brett Goldstein (who plays aging soccer star Roy Kent), Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), Nick Mohammed (Nate the Great) and Jeremy Swift (ever-helpful assistant Higgins).

  • Supporting actress: Hannah Waddingham (team owner Rebecca) and Juno Temple (girlfriend/influencer Keeley Jones).

  • Three for directing, for the episodes “Biscuits,” “The Hope That Kills You” (the season finale) and “Make Rebecca Great Again.”

  • Two for writing, for the episodes “Pilot” and “Make Rebecca Great Again.”

  • Creative Arts Emmys presented last weekend: “Ted Lasso” won three, for casting, sound mixing and picture editing (for “The Hope That Kills You” — it was also nominated in that category for “Make Rebecca Great Again”). The show was also up for best production design, sound editing and theme music.