Paloma Cinco Joins Ted Lasso Season 4 as Dani Rojas's Sister in Episode 1 Cameo

Q: Why did Ted Lasso creators reject a pitch for a talented Rojas sister to introduce a soccer novice instead?

They rejected the “talented Rojas sister” pitch because the show preferred a one-episode comic payoff and a fan-service cameo over adding another ready-made star player. Paloma Cinco said she and her brother, Dani Rojas actor Cristo Fernández, originally pitched Daniela Rojas as a strong soccer player. But the version that made it to air became Maria Rojas, an upbeat woman who shares Dani’s warmth and charisma but has never played soccer. That shift let the episode build a clear joke: Coach Beard assumes “Rojas” means elite football ability, only for Maria to reveal that Dani taught her many things except futbol. The available reporting points to creative choice rather than any rejection of Cinco herself. Jason Sudeikis praised her performance as “so funny and so sweet,” and emphasized the appeal of casting real-life relatives because of their natural chemistry. Coverage also describes Maria as a family-centered Easter egg tied to a beloved character, designed to be lighthearted and memorable rather than the start of a major football storyline. The novice angle also fit the episode’s tryout structure. Richmond’s women’s team needed to sort serious recruits from hopeful outsiders, and Maria’s brief appearance worked as a humorous contrast that left Ted smiling without changing the roster. In short, the creators appear to have chosen comedy, surprise, and warmth over introducing another skilled Rojas who might have pulled focus from the season’s new permanent players.

3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Aug 19

Paloma Cinco debuted in the latest "Ted Lasso" episode as Maria Rojas, a tryout hopeful revealed on-screen as Dani Rojas’s sister before a comic twist shows she has never played soccer.
Cinco said she and brother Cristo Fernández originally pitched the idea of Dani having a sister, recorded an audition, and later learned the show wanted her for the reworked Maria role.
Jason Sudeikis said casting Cristo Fernández’s real-life sister fit the show’s habit of using actors’ real relationships, praising Cinco’s performance as funny and warm.
Off-screen, Cinco said she has played soccer all her life—unlike Maria—and would have been available for more episodes, while still hoping the character could return.