Billy Harris (‘Ted Lasso’) on Colin’s struggle as a closeted gay member of the team [Exclusive Video Interview]
“Sometimes we do these football weeks,” shares Billy Harris about being a soccer star on “Ted Lasso” in our recent webchat. He continues, “they are grueling. They are cold. But as an actor who loved football, I’m standing on the pitch in my football boots drinking a flat white. I have to stop and kick myself, because if I ever complain that it’s too cold, I’m living both of my dreams here.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
In its third season, the show tells the story of an optimistic American, Ted (Jason Sudeikis), coaching a struggling English soccer team. Harris explains, “When I joined it was my first TV job. I came on the show not really expecting much out of my character. All I wanted to do was learn the ropes from these amazing actors that I was going to be working every day. I loved throughout seeing the mission the writers were on. I had a lot of expectations for the show but not for me as an actor in it.”
Harris has played footballer Colin Hughes for all three seasons. This year, Colin has struggled as a closeted gay member of the team, marking the first standalone storyline Harris has had on the show. In the ninth episode of the season, ‘La Locker Room Aux Folles,’ Colin comes out to the team and is accepted. Harris reveals, “There’s 11 players on the team, there’s a lot of personalities. But I always found he was a bit quiet. All an actor wants is to finely tune and get down to the nitty gritty of who your character really is. Luckily in season three I managed to do that with Colin. In the locker room I had to let the audience know, but the guys can’t because Colin is hiding. That’s the heart-breaking thing. Now you are going to start seeing going forward the real Colin.”
The storyline has helped explore ideas of mental health and masculinity within the sporting world. The actor reflects, “I love sport, but there’s one thing that I don’t know: what it’s like when an athlete works their socks off and gets hate on social media. Not being able to be their true selves. And when I was doing Colin’s storyline there was nothing but support on set for it.”
“Ted Lasso” has won the Emmy award for Best Comedy Series the past two years. Harris says, “everyone is so invested in their characters. When I read the scripts I get genuinely excited about what’s happening. For me it’s a love for Colin and for people to live the lives that they want to live. And I think that’s what the show ‘Ted Lasso’ is trying to do. And raise awareness for therapy. Colin went to therapy before I did.”
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