Expect a different Jamie Tartt in Ted Lasso season 2. AFC Richmond's on-loan bad boy may have sent the Greyhounds into the Championship at the end of last season, but Lasso's unconventional managing techniques had begun to work its magic. When he returns, it's not as a footballer but reality star - and it's all downhill from there. It's a fitting role for Tartt, further sanding down his aggressive brutishness, and gives actor Phil Dunster more comedic and dramatic fuel to play with.
Ahead of Jamie's return to the Richmond fold, Screen Rant caught up with Dunster to discuss brining Jamie - and the world of the show - to life.
It's great to see Jamie back. He's such a recognizable character, and we can all think of footballers like that. Did you look to real footballers and choose particular people for inspiration, or do you try to keep a bit vaguer?
I think that there's some that I've learned from more than others. I tried to keep it fairly vague, but I've watched football my whole life and I love it, so I probably have picked up lots of people along the way. And I think who Jamie would model himself on may be slightly different from who I would model Jamie on. I think Jamie looks at people like David Beckham: the different hairstyles; he wore a bandana when he met Prince Charles - that's the sort of audacity that he had with his styling. He would probably model himself on Ronaldo, on Eric Cantona. I sort of have that in mind when I'm working with Jacky Levy, the costume designer, and also with Nicky Austin, the makeup designer. We found that character. I think that there are characters like Jack Grealish, who I'm very fond of, and Olivier Giroud. Maybe the arrogance of Dimitri Payet is probably in there somewhere, as well.
There's always awareness as a Brit, seeing an American take on football, even with such a British cast. But I think Ted Lasso really captures that feeling of Britishness generally, but doesn't skimp on presenting football as football. How do you think the show has managed to achieve something that appeals to both UK and US audiences?
I'm really glad you say that, man. Thank you. Because it's really important to me, and also to everyone else in the team. We're all footballers, we all love football, we talk about football all the time. This is the dream, where we get to do all that stuff. It was important to us that it looks right, and it's important to us that it has that feel. A lot of the lads have played in football teams their whole life, so I think it comes quite naturally to them. But also, Brendan Hunt has this encyclopedic knowledge of football. Brendan is actually the one who knows the most - an American knows the most about weird, deep cuts about, not even Premier League history but the pre-Premier League era. Football wasn't invented until the Premier League, we all know that. But it's people who really, really care and who love football.
Jamie goes on a nice arc this season. Where did you expect him to go when finishing season 1, and were you surprised when you learned where he was going in season 2?
I was pleased to hear he came back. That's for sure, I'm certain. I don't really know. I'd spoken a bit to Jason about where he was going, but it was more sort of general terms. I think that they weren't 100% sure what the plan was going to be when it finished. But I was hoping that there was a chance he would go back to AFC Richmond, because that's where he's had the most growth. He could go and be a superstar football player probably in - I don't know, the Italian league of Serie A, or the Bundesliga in Germany. I think that he would just be a star player there, but he's becoming a better person here. So, yeah, back to Richmond.
You're obviously very different to Jamie. This might be a strange question, because obviously with COVID you haven't got the opportunity to meet as many fans. But do you find people expect you to be more like Jamie in real life?
You're right. We haven't really met people yet who sort of expect anything different. I think the people that I have spoken to are like, "The accent's different." But I think that perhaps, with some American audiences, I feel like they still think I sound like I know the Queen when I'm speaking as Jamie. I don't know, I feel like that's the perception that us Brits have of Americans when thinking about the English accent. I slip into it now and then when I'm around the house, and I kind of like it. I don't know, there's a certain swagger to it, which I'm like, "Maybe I could bring that into my life more." Maybe I'm looking for more Jamie in my life. Be more Tartt.
Ted Lasso season 2 releases new episodes every Friday on Apple TV+.