Brett Goldstein ‘Blows Up’ on the cover for Variety

Here’s the quickest way to make Brett Goldstein speechless: Ask the “Ted Lasso” star and “Shrinking” co-creator how he feels about becoming a sex symbol. “This is the first I’ve heard of it,” he tells me, after almost doing a spit-take when I bring up what I’ve dubbed “Sexy Brett Goldstein.” 

“I’m flattered you’re telling me this, and I will expect you to address me as such from now on,” he says, grinning at the madness of me broaching such a silly topic. “How do I feel about becoming a sex symbol? I don’t know. You can say, ‘He blushes, looks confused, his head explodes.’”

In “Shrinking,” Segel plays a recent widower who is finally reconnecting with his daughter after falling into a black hole of grief. “For me, it’s always about the characters and the relationships,” Goldstein says. “And with ‘Shrinking,’ what interested me was the story of a father and a daughter. He has not been there for her, and as he’s coming back to himself, he’s trying to repair things. And what’s interesting is this attempt to be forgiven and to be her dad again, and whether she will allow him — the change of dynamic between a father and a child over a season. That was what first got me excited.”

Goldstein says his secret to writing fast is not to overthink things. “It’s not me; it’s like magic. I don’t know where it comes from.” He wants to offer some writing advice but is hesitant. “This is going to sound so mad,” he says, “so I’ll shut my mouth now.” 

But, pressed, he speaks up. “I think what stops most people is ‘What if it’s not perfect?’ I’m like, ‘I know it’s not going to be perfect; it’s the first draft. And then we’re going to rewrite it a million times.’ So just get it down. It’s much easier to work on something once you have a first draft. I always do first drafts really quick, because also the quicker you do it, the more subconscious will happen. Do the work.”

But hold up. That’s not what Goldstein wants now. “Shrinking” has become a critical hit and the perfect salve for our post-pandemic times in the same way that “Ted Lasso” was at the start of COVID. “Shrinking” dives into issues of mental health, grief and relationships — and is also (Roy Kent voice here) fucking funny.

Read full story on variety.com.

Styling: Rose Forde/The Wall Group; Styling Assistant: Daniella Nikolic; Grooming: Kerrie Urban/The Wall Group; Production Design: Francisco Vargas: Look 1 (hoodie and sweatshirt): Full look: Christian Dior; Look 2 (long sleeve black top): Top and pants: Lanvin; Shoes: Jimmy Choo; Look 3 (green short sleeve shirt): Top: COS; Pants: Dzojchen; Coat: Vince; Sneakers: Santoni DBS; Look 4 (cover and jumping): Suit and shoes: Christian Dior