Yes, Star Wars influenced the new sets on Ted Lasso season 3

Ted Lasso is back! And what a wonderful feeling that is. I missed AFC Richmond and the motley crew of misfits that make up the most lovable team ever!

To recap where we left off, Juno Temple’s Keeley Jones decided to venture out and start a PR firm. And Nate Shelley (Nick Mohammed) turned his coat became the head coach of Rupert Mannion’s (Anthony Head) football club, West Ham.

With all these changes heading into Season 3, production designer Paul Cripps had the fun but daunting task of ensuring the characters fit well into their new environments. He spoke with Variety about lead actor and showrunner Jason Sudeikis’ vision for season 3 and what major influences were a part of the set design.

Ted Lasso season 3 took inspiration from Star Wars

As Nate Shelley embraced the Dark Side, the production design reflected his new role. While he was working with AFC Richmond, he hung out in the bright blue locker room with the lovable goofballs like Ted Lasso and Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein). But over at West Ham, the look is dark, solemn and lonely. Why did you do this, Nate? Why?!

“I wanted to make Nate feel a bit more isolated, so he’s in an office on his own,” Cripps said. “He looks out towards an empty corridor, and people will pass occasionally. And I just felt that’s a bit sad, really.”

Things get really intense when Nate visits West Ham owner Rupert (Anthony Head) in his office, which looks like Emperor Palpatine’s throne room in Star Wars. That was not accidental. “We always talked of Rupert being like — not saying anything about West Ham, the team — but wherever Rupert is, it’s his empire, and he’s the Dark Lord who’s interfering all the time. I just thought, well, actually, why can’t we make him an office that feels like the scene when Luke meets the Emperor? It’s not a parody. I just couldn’t resist it.”

Set decorator Kate Goodman found black-on-black wallpaper and gold lights by Gianni Versace. Couple that with the ascending staircase into Rupert’s office and the Death Star vibe is complete.

“It’s such an iconic image,” Cripps shares. “Rupert fills that dark presence, taking people away, tempting them with things. It’s an absolute, precise metaphor for Nate’s decision to leave.”

Check out the season 3 premiere of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ now, and watch new episodes every Wednesday!

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