Brett Goldstein
A gruff, secretly soft-hearted actor and writer who became the soul of a global TV hit by playing a footballer who hates football.
Born 1980 (age 46)·English actor and writer·Birthday: July 17·Generation X
Biography
Brett Goldstein’s path to becoming a beloved cultural figure was anything but direct. Before he was the growling, heart-on-sleeve Roy Kent on 'Ted Lasso,' he was a film student, a stand-up comedian, and a writer penning sharp, often darkly comic essays. His entry into the 'Ted Lasso' universe was initially behind the scenes as a writer, but his self-taped audition for the role of the aging, cynical midfielder proved irresistible. Goldstein infused Roy with a volcanic exterior that masked a deep vulnerability, a performance that earned him consecutive Emmy wins. Beyond the pitch, he co-created the therapy comedy 'Shrinking' and hosts the film podcast 'Films to Be Buried With,' revealing a mind equally engaged with existential questions and the beautiful game.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Brett was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brett Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Brett's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for 'Ted Lasso' in both 2021 and 2022.
- Co-created the Apple TV+ series 'Shrinking' alongside Bill Lawrence and Jason Segel.
- Was a core writer for the first two seasons of the critically adored series 'Ted Lasso.'
Did You Know?
He originally joined the 'Ted Lasso' project solely as a writer and submitted his audition tape for Roy Kent without being asked.
Goldstein is a passionate fan of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
He wrote and starred in the dark comedy series 'SuperBob' about a lonely superhero living in Croydon.
“I think the thing that people connect with in Roy is that he says the things we all wish we could say.”
