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“Ted Lasso” fans love Dani Rojas. The character, played by Cristo Fernández, is a Mexican soccer star with a bright attitude and a a signature line: “Football is life.”
Fernández shares some things in common with the role, including the fact that he also played soccer professionally.
Unlike Rojas, Fernández career as a professional athlete was halted. He chose to study film and acting, earning his big break in “Ted Lasso,” which went on to win some of the biggest awards in the industry. Here’s what you should know about Cristo Fernández:
Fernández suffered an injury that halted his soccer dreams
In an interview with the Mexican newspaper, El Pais, Fernández shared that he was injured while playing soccer and had to let go of that passion. His parents encouraged him to pursue a different career, resulting in his love of film and acting. “I got into theater and I started to build a porfolio of student fims and videos, where I acted all the time. That’s where my passion for film started. I began producing student projects and when I was done with my career in communications, I said, “I want to leave to study acting.”
He studied in the UK
Fernández studied acting at The University of Surrey. He shares that it wasn’t easy finding acting jobs in London, and that it took him four years to make his big break.
Why ‘Ted Lasso’ was the perfect opportunity
Fernández also talked about why “Ted Lasso” was the right role for him, combining the skills he’d built up over the course of his life. “For years, I didn’t want to know about soccer. One of the reasons why I’m in this project is because of my soccer skills. Not only my acting. So everything happens for a reason in life. Sometimes you wonder, but God, life and the universe act in mysterious ways,” he said.
On working with Jason Sudeikis
In an appearace on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” Fernández said that he was a fan of the series’ lead, Jason Sudeikis, from before his work on “Ted Lasso.” “It’s a dream come true,” said Fernández . “I loved him from SNL and his films. He’s very funny, very smart, very intelligent. He’s someone I admire a lot.”
When asked about Sudeikis’ soccer skills, Fernández gave a very democratic answer. “He’s very good at basketball!”
The third season of “Ted Lasso” premieres this March 15th.