“Ted Lasso” Newcomer Grant Feely, 14, Says His Costar Brendan Hunt ‘Took Me Under His Wing’ (Exclusive)

The actor, who joined season 4 of the Apple TV show, says Hunt introduced him to European soccer and taught him “all the rules and all the players”

NEED TO KNOW

• Grant Feely says Brendan Hunt helped him learn the complexities of soccer while preparing for his Ted Lasso role
• Feely, who plays Ted’s son Henry, tells PEOPLE he was a fan of the show and its cast before boarding
• New episodes of Ted Lasso season 4 arrive Wednesdays on Apple TV

Grant Feely had a little help getting into the Ted Lasso spirit.

While speaking with PEOPLE at the Ted Lasso season 4 premiere in New York City on Aug. 4, the series newcomer, 14, detailed his experience joining the hit Apple TV comedy and how costar Brendan Hunt helped him learn the ins and outs of English football.

“My mom and I got invited to a bunch of Arsenal games by Jason [Sudeikis] and Brendan, and they kind of introduced us to soccer in England and in Europe, or football,” Feely says. “Brendan Hunt especially kind of took me under his wing with soccer and telling me all the rules and all the players and everything.”

Feely, who was born in Brunswick, Ga. and lives in Birmingham, Ala., joined the cast as Ted’s son, Henry, for its latest season. He was already a fan of the show before landing the role, making his first days on set particularly surreal.

“It was so exciting because I was a fan before I ever got cast,” he says. “So just walking around on set and seeing all the sets that were built and all the characters, it’s been such a blast.”

Feely was also familiar with Sudeikis’ work long before meeting his onscreen dad. He boards season 4 after Gus Turner originally played the role of Henry in the show’s first three seasons. Feely confirmed his casting on Instagram in July 2025.

“I mean, I watched We’re the Millers and obviously I watched the first three seasons of Ted Lasso before I got cast in the role,” he says. “So kind of seeing him on screen, off screen, it was very exciting. And he’s so great to work with.”

Feely’s costar Elodie Blomfield, who plays Roy Kent’s niece Phoebe, also tells PEOPLE that returning to the series felt like coming home.

“I think we all are fans of the show, even though we’re in it,” Blomfield says. “The show itself is amazing and also the people. We’ve created such a family and community here, and it was just so nice to see everyone again.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Blomfield says her onscreen uncle, Brett Goldstein, has also become something of a real-life family member after her experience “growing up acting beside him.”

Feely had to do more than learn the rules of the sport to take on his new role. Because Henry is skilled on the pitch, the actor says he needed some help making his own soccer abilities look convincing. “I had to practice a little bit because my character is a very good soccer player, and I’m definitely not a very good soccer player,” he admits. “So I had to get some lessons from my brothers.”

Even after the extra training, Feely jokes, “I’m definitely not good enough to pursue soccer in the slightest.”

Getting the role itself was a months-long process. Feely says didn’t hear back for three months after an initial audition, before suddenly learning that he was one of the final contenders. As he recalls, he was flown out to L.A. for a chemistry read, which introduced him to two of his soon-to-be costars and mentors in Hunt and Sudeikis.

Blomfield has also found herself becoming a bigger football fan through her years on the series, adding that Ted Lasso has changed the way she watches the sport. “I’m obsessed with it. I think it’s such a fun sport,” she says.

The actress previously told PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of season 4 that working alongside the show’s veteran cast has been educational. “They’ve all taught me so much,” she said. “Not necessarily through things they’ve said, but just by acting with them.”

“Being on set is like the best acting class you can get,” Blomfield added. “You learn so much from the people around you, from the directors, from everyone there. Honestly, I feel like everyone has been a mentor to me.”

Season 4 of Ted Lasso premiered Aug. 5 on Apple TV, with new episodes debuting on Wednesdays.

Read the full article here