White House hosts cast of Apple TV+’s ‘Ted Lasso’ to discuss mental health

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will be hosting the cast of Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso at the White House Monday to discuss the importance of talking about mental health.

Prior to the visit, several actors from the hit show, including Emmy winners Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein, attended the top of a briefing held by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

“No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably know someone — or have been that someone ourselves actually — that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that’s felt alone,” show co-creator Sudeikis said at Monday’s briefing. “And it’s actually one of the many things that, believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings.”

Sudeikis called on Americans to check in with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others to see how they’re doing and for people to not be afraid to ask for help if they need it.

The series, which saw its third season premiere last week, has dealt extensively with the issue.

Lasso is an American football coach who moves to England to coach a Premier League soccer team. He generally has a sunny disposition, but cracks begin to show as past trauma catches up with him.

Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, played by Sarah Niles, who had been brought in to help one of the team’s soccer players after a penalty kick gone wrong, finally sees Ted seek her counsel after he suffers a debilitating panic attack.

Sudeikis told the press Monday, “Look, I know in this town a lot of folks don’t always agree and don’t always feel heard, seen, listened to,” he said. “But I truly believe that we should all do our best to help take care of each other.”