‘Cuse Conversations Episode 142: Zava! Meet Maximilian Osinski ’06, the Breakout Star of Season 3 of ‘Ted Lasso’
Original air date: June 13, 2023 Back in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused worldwide angst and turmoil, a show debuted on Apple TV+ that emphasized the importance of hope and believing in yourself. “Ted Lasso,” which recently concluded its third season, has been a feel-good television hit from the first episode. Early in the third season, the show introduced a new character, Zava, who was never lacking in confidence and self-belief. While Zava’s bravado jumps off the screen, fans of the show might not know that the real-life actor who plays Zava is Maximilian Osinski ’06, who never played a minute of soccer in his life. On this “’Cuse Conversation,” Osinski, who earned a bachelor’s degree in drama from the College of Visual and Performing Arts, discusses his breakout role on “Ted Lasso” and how he overcame his doubts about whether he could play the world’s greatest soccer player. Osinski shares why Syracuse University was his dream school, recalls his first role in a major motion picture: as former Orange football standout Gerhard Schwedes ’60 in the Ernie Davis ’62 biopic, “The Express,” explores how being born in a refugee camp to immigrant parents inspired him to pursue his dreams and more.
