Interview: Juno Temple on Keeley’s Future, Romance, & Friendship on ‘Ted Lasso’

Juno Temple‘s Keeley Jones is one of the Ted Lasso underdog stories to which fans quickly gravitated. Early on, the character seemed destined to be relegated to the side kick to Hannah Waddingham‘s Rebecca or the ex-girlfriend of Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster). But Keeley quickly proved to have much more to offer thanks to an endearing yet strong performance by Temple.

Temple sat down with Awards Radar to talk about her Ted Lasso journey. During our conversation she discussed Keeley’s romantic future, her favorite parts of the series, and Keeley’s transformation “from a caterpillar into a butterfly.” While that metaphor seems accurate, I find Keeley to be more of a phoenix, the mythological regenerating bird that rises from the ashes only to be stronger than before. Over three seasons Keeley surprised us again and again, facing setbacks but never defeated, only to rise again into a version of herself, stronger than before.

Check out these excerpts from our conversations where Temple talks about the importance of Keeley’s friendship with Rebecca. Then watch our full video interview below.

“I think it’s about the fact that, honestly, Hannah is truly one of the greatest humans to come into my life thus far, ever. She’s so extraordinary, and she’s so nurturing, but also so brave and so fun and can be elegant, and then a total klutz, and then doesn’t take herself too seriously, and is curious. Just all the things that I’m in awe of with her, the list is too long to ever. That happening off camera was something really important. But then this journey between these two women, who are very, very different, and they’ve come from very different backgrounds, but also actually have a lot in common that they can help each other with. I think the thing that’s been so special about it, is just putting a female friendship out in the world that is not about being competitive and it’s not about being one thing to a woman’s face and another thing behind her back. It is about a genuine friendship, which sometimes mean you have to calling people out on their shit. It sometimes means you need to cry on somebody’s very expensive blouse, or you need to encourage somebody that they are as beautiful as you can see them when they don’t feel it on the inside, or that they have more brains than they do just boobs. Whatever it is, without there being any expectation of needing anything back. I think just getting to put a female friendship out there that is genuinely about loving and respecting a woman in your life has been one of the most important things I’ve done thus far in my career. And one of the things that I will forever be the most proud of, because female friendships are so important.”

Juno’s work can be seen in all three seasons on Ted Lasso, streaming exclusively on Apple TV+.