Brett Goldstein recalls showrunner not wanting him to play Louis: 'If you f--- it up, you kill Shrinking'

Brett Goldstein recalls 'Shrinking' showrunner not wanting him to play Louis

Brett Goldstein plays a complex role on 'Shrinking,' but showrunner Bill Lawrence was worried his tenure as Roy Kent on 'Ted Lasso' would make it hard for audiences to believe his new character.

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TL;DR Brett Goldstein almost didn’t get the juicy but delicate part of Louis on Apple TV+’s Shrinking because showrunner Bill Lawrence worried his transition from the gruff Roy Kent in Ted Lasso might tank the whole vibe. It took a push from series star Jason Segel—plus Lawrence’s “I believe in you, but if you f--- it up, you kill Shrinking” text—to land Goldstein the role.

Louis’s drunk-driving tragedy kick-starts the drama, forcing viewers to wrestle with empathy for an accidental killer. Lawrence finally gave the green light (once Goldstein shaved off his facial hair), and Season 2’s warm reception had him sheepishly admitting he almost blew his own casting call.