Tanya Reynolds is joining Ted Lasso as assistant coach Alice. Despite the show's massive success with 13 Emmy wins and billions of streaming minutes, she admits she had never watched it. The actress describes herself as something of a hermit who lives under a rock. She auditioned after being drawn to the unusual premise of a football coach. A week after sending her tape, she had a Zoom with creator Jason Sudeikis, who offered her the part immediately. Reynolds then binge-watched all three seasons and realized she desperately wanted to be part of this world. The role represents a significant career move for the British actress.
Before her Ted Lasso role, Reynolds starred in Sex Education as Lily Iglehart, the quirky teen who writes science fiction erotica. She recently performed in the play 1536, produced by Margot Robbie, which Meryl Streep and Martin Short attended. She describes the emotional moment when the cast stood frozen on stage as the Hollywood legends arrived. Everyone cried, including Meryl herself. Reynolds is full of praise for Robbie's championing of new theatrical work. She has built an impressive theatrical CV, including an Olivier nomination in 2024 for A Mirror at the Almeida.
Born in Hemel Hempstead to non-theatrical parents, Reynolds decided at age four or five to become an actor. Her Italian father was a builder and her mother a sign painter, yet they never made the industry seem unattainable. She was the first in her family to attend university before winning a scholarship to Oxford School of Drama. She is now set to direct her own film Dog Person, starring Hugh Bonneville and James Norton. The film follows a woman who discovers a desire to be a dog. Reynolds is passionate about drama education, expressing heartbreak over proposed cuts to arts in schools. She believes every child deserves access to creative exploration.