Keeley Hazell, the former Page 3 model who inspired the character of Keeley Jones in Ted Lasso, has revealed she was initially told the role was written for her, but was later required to audition and lost out to Juno Temple. The 39-year-old, who now stars in a minor role in the show, described the experience as 'devastating'.
A Role Written for Her
Before Ted Lasso was commissioned by Apple TV in 2019, Keeley says her friend, writer and star Jason Sudeikis, told her he was working on a football comedy and had written a character inspired by – and for – her. 'The character was named and based on me with the intent of me playing myself in the show,' she explains to Metro. However, as production began, she was told the part wasn't guaranteed and she would need to audition.
'I had to audition because I didn't have the resume that would allow me to just be given the part – even though it was named and based on me with the intent of me playing myself,' remembers Keeley. 'During that process, they went out on a direct offer to the actress who plays the part. It was devastating.'
Hard to Watch
Juno Temple, who had already starred in Atonement, Maleficent, and other films, was offered the role. Keeley admits it stung, attributing the decision to Temple's more extensive experience and Hollywood's 'catch 22' of needing experience to get roles. Despite this, Keeley has no hard feelings toward Temple: 'You can't blame an actress for taking a part. No hard feelings against her at all.'
Keeley, who went on to play Bex in the show, found the experience complex. She was asked to help with characterisation but declined, and was once given gel boob enhancers to pass on to Juno, a surreal moment given her own career was 'based on boobs'. She also stopped wearing her gold name necklace after the character wore it, feeling it was 'taking something without understanding its meaning'.
Personal Struggles
Keeley's early life was marked by hardship, growing up on a council estate in South East London and leaving school at 16. She turned to modelling to escape, winning a Page 3 Idol competition at 18. She now struggles with the objectification and exploitation of that industry, and the stigma that followed her into acting, with people in the US asking if she was a porn star.
In 2007, an abusive ex-boyfriend leaked a sex tape to the press, prompting Keeley to speak openly about her traumas to reclaim her narrative. Her debut show at the Edinburgh Fringe, 'Everyone's Seen My Tits', explores themes of class, identity, and erasure, reflecting on the persona created for her and the character based on her that she feels voiceless about.
Asked if she will watch the new season of Ted Lasso, Keeley said no, joking that Apple is expensive. Representatives of Ted Lasso did not provide comment before publication.
