You know the hair. That meticulously coiffed, slightly aggressive "walnut mist" fade that looks like it requires a permit and a steady hand. You definitely know the voice—the one that stretches the word "poop" into a three-syllable "poo-pay" and makes "Keeley" sound like a plea for mercy.
Jamie Tartt is the character we all loved to hate, then just plain loved. But here’s the thing: the guy behind the floral tracksuits and the "I’m the best" attitude is almost the total opposite of the AC Richmond striker.
The actor who played Jamie Tartt is Phil Dunster.
If you’ve only ever seen him on the pitch in Ted Lasso, hearing him speak in real life is a genuine system shock. He doesn’t sound like he’s from Manchester. He isn’t arrogant. He’s actually a posh, classically trained theater nerd from the south of England who spent years wondering if he’d ever get a break this big.
The Man Behind the Mancunian Swagger
Phil Dunster was born in 1992 in Northampton. That’s about 150 miles south of Jamie’s fictional Manchester stomping grounds. He grew up in Reading, and his natural accent is what you’d call "Home Counties"—polite, crisp, and very much not Jamie Tartt.
Honestly, the accent was a gamble. When Dunster first auditioned for the show, the character wasn’t even written as a "Manc." Initially, the creators were looking for someone perhaps more Spanish or just generally "international." But Dunster brought that signature North England twang to the room, drawing inspiration from his agent and his girlfriend’s family.
He wanted to capture that specific brand of "cocky" that belongs to Manchester legends like Liam and Noel Gallagher.
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It worked. It worked so well that the writers pivoted. They realized that the specific energy Dunster brought—a mix of extreme athletic vanity and a deeply hidden, wounded vulnerability—was exactly what the show needed to move past being just a simple "jock" caricature.
Why Jamie’s Voice Changed Everything
The "poo-pay" thing? That wasn't even in the script. Not really.
During filming, Dunster was constantly trying to make his co-star Brett Goldstein (who plays the perennially grumpy Roy Kent) crack up. He started leaning into these bizarre, elongated vowel sounds just to see if he could break Goldstein’s concentration.
"In between takes I was desperate to try and put him off doing his job. The word written was actually 'poo,' and I said, 'Jason, can I say poopay?'" — Phil Dunster in an interview with Esquire.
It’s that kind of improvisational playfulness that turned Jamie from a one-dimensional bully in Season 1 into the "father-brother" figure we saw by the end of Season 3.
Before the Greyhounds: Dunster’s Long Road
You don’t just wake up and get nominated for an Emmy. Dunster put in the miles long before he ever put on a Richmond kit.
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He’s a product of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which is essentially the Harvard of British acting schools. His background is heavy on the "serious" stuff. We’re talking Shakespeare and intense stage dramas. In fact, he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award (the UK’s version of a Tony) back in 2016 for a play called Pink Mist.
If you go digging through his IMDB, you’ll find him everywhere.
- He was in the sci-fi series Humans.
- He played a Russian Count in Catherine the Great opposite Helen Mirren.
- He even had a role in Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express.
But none of those roles required him to wear a headband or sing "Jamie Tartt doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo."
The Evolution of Jamie Tartt: Why We Care
Why does everyone keep asking who played Jamie Tartt? It’s because the character’s arc is arguably the best in modern television.
In Season 1, Jamie is a "himbo." He’s a peacock. He treats Keeley (Juno Temple) like an accessory and Ted like an annoyance. By Season 2, we start to see the cracks. We meet his dad, James Tartt (played by Kieran O'Brien), and suddenly the arrogance makes sense. It’s a defense mechanism.
That locker room scene in Season 2 where Jamie finally hits back at his abusive father is one of the most raw moments in the series. Dunster has talked about how they filmed that at Wembley Stadium, the holy grail of English football. He wasn't just acting; he was channeling years of being a real-life football fan into a moment of pure, shattered ego.
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By the time Season 3 rolled around, Jamie was the one teaching Roy Kent how to ride a bike in Amsterdam. It’s a total 180.
Award Season Recognition
For a long time, Dunster was the "unsung hero" of the cast. While Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, and Brett Goldstein were sweeping up awards, Dunster was consistently great but often overlooked.
That changed in 2023. He finally landed a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. It was a "long time coming" moment for fans who realized that playing a "reformed douchebag" with that much nuance is actually incredibly difficult.
Life After Richmond
Ted Lasso might be over (or on a very long break), but Phil Dunster isn't slowing down. He’s moved on to projects like the psychological thriller The Devil’s Hour on Amazon Prime, where he plays a character named Mike Stevens. It’s a million miles away from the sunny optimism of AFC Richmond.
He’s also a massive advocate for charity. He ran the London Marathon in 2024 to raise money for Young Lives vs Cancer, showing that he’s got a bit more of the "Ted Lasso" spirit in him than the "Jamie Tartt" ego.
What to Watch Next if You Miss Jamie Tartt
If you’re suffering from Ted Lasso withdrawal, you can find the man who played Jamie Tartt in several other places that show off his range:
- The Devil's Hour (Amazon Prime): If you want to see him in a dark, gritty thriller.
- The Trouble with Maggie Cole: A comedy-drama where he plays a character actually named Jamie (but very different).
- Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas: Watch him sing and dance alongside his former boss. Yes, he can actually sing.
The reality is that Phil Dunster didn't just play a footballer; he created a pop-culture icon. He took a character designed to be a villain and made him the soul of the show. Whether he's doing serious drama or making fart jokes in a thick Northern accent, he’s proven he’s one of the most versatile actors of his generation.
If you want to keep up with his latest projects, follow his official social media channels or check out his work on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime. He’s currently filming several new projects slated for release throughout 2026, including more theater work in London’s West End.