Jason Sudeikis, ‘Ted Lasso’ Cast Promote Mental Health Awareness at White House With Surprise Appearance by Trent Crimm Actor
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Jason Sudeikis and members of the Ted Lasso cast dropped in on Monday’s White House press briefing to discuss mental health awareness, and in the process took just a single question from coach Ted Lasso’s favorite journalist, Trent Crimm.
Sudeikis, alongside Ted Lasso co-creator Brendan Hunt, writer Brett Goldstein and fellow castmembers Toheeb Jimoh and Hannah Waddingham took the stage with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre ahead of the group’s private meeting with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden. The Emmy-winning show’s cast and creative team dropped by the nation’s capital to promote and discuss addressing mental health in an effort to support one’s overall well-being.
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After being introduced by Jean-Pierre, Sudeikis — who was ultimately the only one to take the mic during the more than five-minute appearance — opened his statement with an expression of gratitude for the honor of being invited to meet with the president. “I truly did not know that it was going to be this on the way here,” he told the White House press pool, to their laughs. “Not until we were out here, so thank you for taking an interest — and I know you’re here for bigger reasons than us.”
The brief message, delivered with a mix of Lasso’s and Sudeikis’ signature cadences, encouraged people to check in on their co-workers, neighbors, families and friends to ensure their mental well-being. He also discussed the significance of not being “afraid to ask for help ourselves,” whether it be from a professional or a loved one.
“No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all — probably, I assume — know someone who has — or have been that someone ourselves, actually — that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that felt anxious, that has felt alone,” he said. “And it’s actually one of the many things that, believe it or not, we all have in common as human beings, right? And so that means it’s something that we can all, you know, and should talk about with one another when you’re feeling that way — when we recognize that someone is feeling that way.”
The actor, comedian and writer went on to note that the president’s “real” team — versus Ted Lasso‘s “make-believe” one — are working to make sure that kind of support for one’s mental health is possible.
“Now, look, I know in this town a lot of folks don’t always agree, right? And don’t always feel heard, seen, listened to, but I truly believe that we should all do our best to help take care of each other. That’s my own personal belief, that’s something that everybody up here onstage believes in us. That’s one of the things we talk about in the writers room, we talk about in the editing room, everything in between,” he added. “I just want to emulate these make-believe folks that we all play at AFC Richmond and the way they take care of each other.”
Sudeikis then turned to the press pool and announced he had time for a single question, to which a “familiar face” — specifically, Ted Lasso actor James Lance’s beloved fictional Independent reporter, Trent Crimm — appeared. And just as he did for the series’ first two seasons, Crimm posed Sudeikis with a question: how he felt about the actor’s hometown of Kansas City being considered as host city for the 2026 World Cup.
“I mean, I love this town. What I am genuinely worried about is once we get all these folks from all over the world to come to Kansas City — to see your city, eat our food, meet our people — you’re gonna have a lot of folks that want to move away. That’s what I’m worried about,” the Ted Lasso star said, before adding, “thank you sincerely so much for having us and putting up with us. Now on to greener pastures.”
