Ted Lasso Season 4: AFC Richmond Women’s Team Tells All | Episode 3 Interview

Ted, you do seem delightful. You're probably making this one's life hell at the minute, which I would love to see, because she's the reason I quit playing football in the first place. Abby, episode three introduces Gemma, and there's obviously some tension between Gemma and Alice. A little bit. I was hard on everyone. You're just the one who quit. Do you know what? I knew this was a waste of time. Once they're part of the same team, and Alice, who already made Gemma doubt her own ability in the past, now has authority over her as coach. This right here is Gemma Jay, our new striker. Back up, striker. What does that dynamic look like between them? The thing that we have to give Gemma and Alice credit for is that ultimately they have the same passion, the same end goal, but also the same belief in each other. Otherwise, Gemma wouldn't have joined the team. She knows. I think Ted says, you were her only option. We're looking for a great striker. I asked coach if she knew any. You were her whole list. And I think that really, really, really sticks with Gemma. And she knows that deep down, Alice does believe in her, and they do care about the sport and the team and getting to where they both know they're capable of getting to. They care about it just as much as each other. Was that the question? That was a very good answer. You quit law school? No. I'm going to do both. One foot in, one foot out. Alice suggests that Gemma has one foot in, one foot out by deciding to join the team while also remaining in law school. How much of a challenge does that dual life pose for Gemma? And is she ultimately forced to choose between the two? Yeah, I think so. It also just sheds a light on the reality of women's football. Of course, she wants to be a professional women's football player, and she wants that to be her career and her life, but that comes with a lot of compromise. And it's a big thing for any woman to compromise. We had an essay studying at uni, Gabby, who's doing a massive degree, the same as Abby's character, and then coming to training and filming with us and then studying at uni for this... I can't remember what the degree was in, but it's something like, I don't know, astrophysics, something insane and very academic. Physically taxing and emotionally taxing. She'll be choosing between her head and her heart, and we'll see where that goes. Position? My centre back. This was a spontaneous decision for me, and I couldn't get childcare, so here we are. Faye, I love Lizzie's introduction, but more specifically, I love that Coach Beard finds a way to connect with Lizzie almost immediately. Yeah. Mentioning how his mom used to bring him to work while she tended bar. Yeah. What do you think that moment means to Lizzie, who I would imagine was probably worried about showing up to tryouts with her son? I think it's a nice little moment for her because she doesn't feel as isolated, but of course, this is, you know, women in football, this is kind of the battle, it's like, OK, you know, motherhood and what all that means, and the nine months are longer out once you've had the child and then keeping that athleticism going when you've had the baby, so it's all that. But I do think, I do think, yeah, Beard trying to make her feel slightly better. I think she feels very lonely. That first scene, I think she feels quite lonely and quite terrified and doesn't really think that there's a place for her there. I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you considering me, and I found that really fun, even if it was just for an afternoon. So when it's offered to her, it's kind of like, OK. We'd love to have you on the team. No. Yep. No. Yep. This is a new chapter now, here we go. That made me tear up. Did it? Yeah, that scene where you're like, oh, thanks. Welcome to Regiment. Right, thank you. I'm just saying it. I was like, there it is, fame I'll say. I can't take compliments, so I do awkward things. That's the northern woman in me. You don't have to say anything. I'll say thank you, Jude Mack. Thank you. My dear friend. Thank you. Lizzie seems to have this really strong maternal instinct, not only with her son, but with her fellow teammates. Does that instinct end up benefiting her as the season progresses? I think that instinct, it is useful. I think a lot of it comes out in the early days because it's just habit because she's been around the kids so much. And we have this altercation, Lizzie and Gemma, in the dressing room where that is kind of problematic and it's annoying everybody. And I think as the season goes on, she's kind of trying to shed that. Not that she wants to get rid of her children and she doesn't want to be a mother anymore, but she wants to be part of this gang and she wants her independence away from mother. I think it's useful in how she can manage some of the younger. She's obviously one of the older members of the team. She can manage some of the younger dynamics, but I don't want her to be remembered for that. I think she's so much more than that. And that's what we're trying to show as we go. Jude, when Boots is first introduced, we're told two things. One, none of the bigger clubs will touch her. And two, she won't wear gloves. Yeah, I think the clubs won't touch her because she doesn't wear gloves. I think she's so good. I do say so myself. I think she's a mega, mega goalie and not wearing gloves is slightly her holding back her own greatness. I think she doesn't know that that's on a subconscious level, of course. But I think that there's fear there for how good she could be. Like frightened to be brilliant. Frightened to be brilliant. She's so arrogant and thinks she's amazing, but there is that subconscious hurdle going on where she's like, I couldn't be too good though. And it keeps her in a certain spot. I think she'd be playing for Chelsea if she put the gloves on. And so we'll see what happens if she does. But yeah, I think that's the kind of the internal battle going on with her. As goalkeeper, Boots naturally occupies a position that's a little more independent from the rest of the team. Does that individuality end up becoming one of her greatest strengths or is learning to rely on her teammates part of her journey this season? It's both. It's definitely both. I think Ted and Beard kind of spot that individuality and weirdness is a good thing and can kind of be used for good, for sure. But I think she really, although you're super isolated as a goalie and you're kind of watching from a separate spot. And shouting. And shouting and running the show from there. I think she really wants community. I think she's never had it. And so she's resigned herself to that position and that's great. And she's happy with that. And then I think she gets the opportunity in this series to be part of something bigger. And that is a deep, deep desire for her. And so, yeah, I think she gets to come together. Perhaps they should marry or get together. Faye is pitching hard.