Brett Goldstein has opened up about his struggle with depression before he found fame in Ted Lasso. The actor, best known for playing Roy Kent in the Apple TV series, discussed his difficulties breaking into the showbiz industry.
Speaking to Men's Health, the 46-year-old said he would get tiny acting jobs, do stand-up comedy and edit other people's scripts. "But I wasn't getting any bigger," he explained. "No one saw any of the stuff I was making."
Rejections and 'missed window'
Goldstein also spoke about the wave of rejections he faced in the 2010s. He packed up his life in London on three separate occasions to move to Hollywood for pilot season, each time returning home unsuccessful. He confessed that he thought that maybe he had "missed my window" and his chances of finding success as an actor were fading.
"I was depressed," he said, stating that his therapist encouraged him to make a gratitude journal and write down 10 things he was grateful for every day. Goldstein said that while he initially struggled with the activity, he learned to train his brain to look for positive aspects in life, and soon enough, was able to write down 100 positive moments every day.
Life-changing Ted Lasso call
He said his pursuit of fame soon became trivial, and he instead focused on maintaining a positive outlook. Two weeks later, he received a phone call about Ted Lasso, a role that would change his life.
Goldstein won the Emmy award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy in both 2021 and 2022 for his role as Roy Kent, a star footballer reaching the end of his career. This month, the comedy, which follows an American football coach hired to train a team in Richmond, returned for a fourth season.
The actor has also achieved success in roles in Shrinking, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Office Romance alongside Jennifer Lopez. Whilst he admitted he still has "dark days", focusing on what he is grateful for always helps centre him. "It really has changed me."
