English actress Tanya Reynolds has joined Ted Lasso's fourth season as Alice, the new assistant coach of AFC Richmond's women's team, marking one of the show's most significant new additions as the Apple TV+ series shifts focus from the men's side featured in seasons one to three. Reynolds, previously best known for playing Lily in Netflix's Sex Education, had not seen Ted Lasso when she was first approached about the role, but agreed to audition after finding the audition scene genuinely funny and recognising the show's pedigree, having won 13 Emmys and a Peabody Award.

Creator and star Jason Sudeikis offered her the part directly over a Zoom call, after which Reynolds binge-watched the first three seasons to familiarise herself with the series. Her character Alice, a former player forced into coaching after a recurring ACL injury, is described as initially struggling to connect with her team, with much of her arc centred on learning to communicate and be vulnerable. Unlike the actresses cast as AFC Richmond's players, who had to demonstrate athletic ability, Reynolds says her football skills were largely irrelevant to landing the role, though she remained anxious about being convincing as a coach.