American Pie and Orange Is The New Black star Jason Biggs told a US radio show today that his “biggest regret” is turning down the role of Ted in How I Met Your Mother.
The lead role, ultimately played by Josh Radnor, was apparently offered to Biggs, following his starring gigs in the American Pie series and Loser. But he decided against taking the part because he didn’t want to stoop to doing TV, E! writes.
(I guess we were on the cusp of prestige TV, although by the time HIMYM premiered in 2005 The Sopranos had been running for a whole six years. Jason, you done gone fucked it.)
He told SiriusXM’s The Covino And Rich Show: “I was offered the role and it’s probably my biggest regret, you know, on passing. I think I was in a phase of, at the time – it sounds so obnoxious to say right now – but at the time it was like, ‘Okay, do I want to do TV?’ I don’t know that I was quite ready to go that route.”
Biggs’ American Pie co-star Alyson Hannigan did go on to star in HIMYM as Lily, but she and Biggs have never spoken about the fact they could’ve starred opposite one another yet again. “We’ve never really talked about it,” Biggs said. “I don’t know that she knows actually.”
Later in the interview, Biggs walked back his previous statement, saying he has “no regrets” actually.
“I’m very lucky, very fortunate. I’m still here. That’s number one. Great. But yeah, if I had to pick out something I wish I had done differently, I would’ve taken that gig for sure.”
How I Met Your Mother ran for nine seasons, from 2005 to 2014. While HIMYM was earning Emmy noms, Jason Biggs starred in shortlived sitcom Mad Love, OITNB and a bunch of B-grade movies no one watched.
At least he’s not the only one who turned down what could’ve been a lucrative and acclaimed starring role on the series. Jennifer Love Hewitt turned down the role of Robin (actually played by Cobie Smulders) to do trashy supernatural series Ghost Whisperer, and Felicity star Scott Foley also apparently turned down the role of Ted to keep doing seemingly endless guest spots (like Elliot’s boyfriend Sean on Scrubs).
I’m sure Jason Biggs will be fine though. He’s the host of a new US gameshow called Cherries Wild, which combines trivia with the pokies. And Josh Radnor is making music with our own Ben Lee and starring in Amazon Prime Nazi-hunting black comedy Hunters.
