She couldn't picture herself playing 'Ted Lasso's' tough coach. Jason Sudeikis made her believe

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

See more from the L.A.Times in Google Search.

Set us as preferred LONDON — Tanya Reynolds had never watched an episode of “Ted Lasso” before she was approached to audition for the fourth season of the Apple TV+ comedy.But the British actor sent in a tape anyway.“It was just one scene and it was really funny,” Reynolds says.

It’s a busy Saturday morning in central London and we’re huddled in the basement of an equally busy coffee shop.Reynolds, 34, seems surprisingly relaxed considering today marks the final two performances of “1536,” a play she’s been starring in at the Ambassadors Theatre since early May.

She’s still incredulous that anyone would think of her to play Alice Chilton, a coach for A.F.C.Richmond’s new women’s team, the latest addition to the series.“It was mad,” she says, her eyes wide.

“The thought of me playing a coach was quite funny.I’m not strong.

But the scene was funny and it was like nothing I’d ever done before.”A week after sending in the tape, “Ted Lasso” co-creator and star Jason Sudeikis asked Reynolds to hop on a Zoom call.“I assumed it was part of the audition process,” she says.

“We had a chat and then at the end he was like, ‘Well, we’d love you to do it if you want.’ I went away and watched all three seasons, and I loved it.It’s the kind of telly I seek — light and soft and heartwarming and optimistic.”Emmy-winning ‘Ted Lasso’ returns for a fourth season, with Jason Sudeikis coaching a women’s team.

Stars Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple also return.But Reynolds was hesitant to accept the role without seeing any scripts.Sudeikis gave her a rundown of Alice, a tough ex-soccer player with a brusque coaching style, but Reynolds had never said yes to a job without actually reading the project.

But the scripts never came.“I messaged him [Sudeikis] and said, ‘Look, ca...