'You better not come to North Carolina': Nick Mohammed says he still gets some hate for his Ted Lasso character Nate | Exclusive

Nick Mohammed, best known for playing Nate Shelley in Ted Lasso, talks about her role as a lawyer in the new HBO show, War.

Actor Nick Mohammed is once again wearing a suit on screen. But this time, instead of the fictional coach of West Ham United, he is playing a sharp lawyer in London. The actor stars in the legal drama, War, set around the divorce of a high-profile couple, played by Sienna Miller and Dominic West. Talking to Hindustan Times about the role and his journey, Nick opens up on the West being more open to diversity and the continuing reactions to his famous character from Ted Lasso.

Nick Mohammed was nominated for an Emmy twice for his role in Ted Lasso.

Nick Mohammed on his War character

In War, Nick plays Michael Stefano, a lawyer in the firm representing Sienna Miller’s character. Notably, the Asian background of his character is never discussed in the show as a plot point. Nick agrees with this treatment. He explains, “If the story depends on someone’s cultural background, that is important, and so are the casting and the writing. But sometimes, it’s not relevant, too. Like, this (War) is set in London, which has been very multicultural for decades; it does not matter who is playing my role or his (co-star Archie Renaux).”

He feels that unnecessary focus on a character’s cultural background often leads to less diversity. “There might be times when you want to dig into that, but I don’t think it’s a necessity. When writers do think it’s a necessity, it can sometimes slightly pigeonhole certain actors into always having to play certain roles,” says Nick.

The Emmy-nominated actor, born to a Cypriot father and a Trinidadian mother, feels that characters need not always have a cultural backstory. “It’s a great story if it is relevant and authentic, but it doesn’t have to be the only time we see diverse actors on screen,” argues Nick.

‘Still get hate for Ted Lasso’

Nick had been working in the entertainment industry for 10 years when he was cast as Nate Shelley in Ted Lasso. The show saw his character’s journey from a beloved underdog to the adversary fans loved to hate. It’s been six years since the show began and his character even got a redemption arc in season 3, but Nick says he still gets hate for the character after new fans discover the show. “But it’s fine; I don’t mind anymore because it just means that people have bought into the character and the story, I guess,” he says with a laugh. Recalling some of those messages, Nick adds, “It can be a strange thing. I am not on Twitter anymore, but on Instagram, even now, people send me messages like: ‘You better not come to North Carolina’. But it’s always followed by, ‘Great job, bro!’ So, it’s a mixed bag.”

All about War

Created by George Kay, War focuses on the high-profile divorce of a Hollywood star (Sienna) and her tech billionaire husband (Dominic). The series also stars Phoebe Fox, James McArdle, Pip Torrens, Nina Sosanya, Archie Renaux, and Nick. The series premiered on HBO and HBO Max on October 1. It is streaming in India on JioHotstar.