KC’s Jason Sudeikis ‘truly, truly surprised’ to dominate Emmys again with ‘Ted Lasso’

Jason Sudeikis said he didn’t expect to win big for a second year in a row at Monday’s Emmy Awards.

Emmy voters proved him wrong, four-fold. Sudeikis and “Ted Lasso” dominated the comedy portion of the Emmys, winning best series, actor (Sudeikis), supporting actor (Brett Goldstein) and directing.

“I’m truly, truly surprised and flattered” Sudeikis said as he accepted the best actor trophy, again, for playing the title character he created, an American football coach trying to learn British soccer. “I didn’t think I had a chance.”

The show’s second season delved deeper into the inner demons Ted and other characters face.

“This show is about good and evil. The truth and lies. And it’s mostly about our response to those things,” Sudeikis said as he accepted the best comedy series award as the ceremony drew to a close.

As is typical in his many award show wins, when he accepted his acting award, he thanked his parents, Dan and Kathy Sudeikis, who still live in Johnson County, where Sudeikis grew up. He added, “Thank you so much to the people who watch this show and dig it as much as we dig making it.”

After winning Emmys for ‘Ted Lasso,’ Jason Sudeikis shares why KC is special to him

HBO’s drama “Succession” entered the evening with the most nominations, 25, and came away with three awards Monday, for best drama, supporting actor (Matthew Macfadyen) and writing.

But in an upset, the award for best actor in a drama went to Lee Jung-jae for Netflix’s dystopian “Squid Game,” becoming the first South Korean performer to win an Emmy in the category.

HBO’s “The White Lotus” cleaned up in the limited series categories with five awards, for best series, acting for both Jennifer Coolidge and Murray Bartlett, directing and writing.

Goldstein, aka profanity-spewing Roy Kent, was one of three “Ted Lasso” cast members nominated for best supporting actor in a comedy. On Monday he won the category for a second year in a row. In his acceptance speech, he promised not to swear (as he did last year), and then got bleeped as he thanked his family.

“To the cast, my fellow nominees, the hardest part about being in ‘Ted Lasso’ is being in a take and not ruining it by saying, ‘God, you’re good,’” he said. During the show’s second season, his character went from cranky veteran player to angry TV analyst to grouchy assistant coach. He’s also a writer on the series.

M.J. Delaney won best directing of a comedy series for one of the best “Ted Lasso” episodes of either season, “No Weddings and a Funeral,” where Ted and Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) relive painful memories about their late fathers.

Three “Ted Lasso” actresses were up for best supporting actress, including Waddingham, who won the category last year, but that award went to Sheryl Lee Ralph of “Abbott Elementary.” Ralph drew an enthusiastic standing ovation from the “Ted Lasso” table — and the entire room — when she broke into a rendition of Dianne Reeves’ “Endangered Species” song and followed with an emotional acceptance speech: “This is what believing looks like,” she said. “This is what striving looks like!”

“Abbott Elementary” also beat “Ted Lasso” for best writing for a comedy series.

“The other best comedy series nominees were “Abbott Elementary,” “Barry,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Hacks,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Only Murders in the Building” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”

Sudeikis had stiff competition for best actor, with many pundits predicting Bill Hader would win for “Barry.” The other nominees in the category: Nicholas Hoult, Steve Martin, Martin Short and Donald Glover.

In all, “Ted Lasso” received 20 Emmy nominations, with multiple nominees in multiple categories. Several categories were announced the previous weekend during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, but “Ted Lasso” came up empty then.

Apple TV+ has not revealed when the third and final season of “Ted Lasso” will debut. As Sudeikis said in closing out his speech, “We’ll see you for Season 3, at some point.”

Emmy Award winners

Comedy Series: “Ted Lasso”

Drama Series: “Succession”

Actor, Comedy Series: Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”

Actress, Comedy Series: Jean Smart, “Hacks”

Actress, Drama Series: Zendaya, “Euphoria”

Actor, Drama Series: Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game”

Limited or Anthology Series: “The White Lotus”

Actor, Limited Series or TV Movie: Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”

Actress, Limited Series or TV Movie: Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout”

Supporting Actor, Limited Series or TV Movie: Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus”

Supporting Actress, Limited Series or TV Movie: Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso”

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession”

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Julia Garner, “Ozark”

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”

Variety Sketch Series: “Saturday Night Live”

Variety Talk Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”

Reality or Competition Program: “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls”