Jason Sudeikis enjoyed a whirlwind trip to Washington D.C. this week, where he spoke about the importance of mental health alongside his Ted Lasso co-stars at the White House.
And the actor/director, 47, was spotted jetting out of the United States Capitol with his and ex-fiancee Olivia Wilde‘s two children by his side on Tuesday.
Sudeikis held hands with son Otis, eight, and daughter Daisy, six, as they swiftly made their way through the terminal.
He helped his little ones get through the TSA checkpoint and they were captured standing idly next to the conveyor belt scanning their luggage.
The SNL alum rocked a red Kansas City Chiefs hoodie under a black puffer coat and black skinny pants.
Off they go! Jason Sudeikis was spotted jetting out of the United States Capitol with his and ex-fiancee Olivia Wilde’s two children by his side on Tuesday
Sudeikis kept a newsboy cap atop his head and sported a pair of black and white Nike sneakers.
Meanwhile, his two kids kept casual for the flight back to New York, where Sudeikis is based.
Sudeikis is currently facing backlash for telling others to ‘sincerely’ care about the mental health of friends and family at the White House despite publicly humiliating Wilde, 39, less than a year ago.
He did so by serving the actress – who he split from in November 2021 after a nine-year engagement – custody papers as she spoke in front of industry executives during CinemaCon 2022.
Months later, Wilde broke her silence and described the on stage ambush as ‘deeply painful’ and an attempt to ‘sabotage’ her.
She told Variety: ‘It was my workplace. In any other workplace, it would be seen as an attack. It was really upsetting. It shouldn’t have been able to happen.
‘There was a huge breach in security, which is really scary. The hurdles that you had to jump through to get into that room with several badges, plus special Covid tests that had to be taken days in advance, which gave you wristbands that were necessary to gain access to the event – this was something that required forethought.’
Though she did not mention Sudeikis by name, the Don’t Worry Darling director took an apparent stab at him as well as their failed engagement.
‘But, you know, sadly, it was not something that was entirely surprising to me. I mean, there’s a reason I left that relationship,’ she said.
In court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Wilde argued that the decision to serve her onstage in front of an audience was a clear bid to ‘threaten’ and ’embarrass’ her.
Sudeikis has always claimed he did not know Wilde would be served the papers in such a public and humiliating way.
Doting dad: He helped his little ones get through the TSA checkpoint and they were captured standing idly next to the conveyor belt scanning their luggage
Casual-cool: The SNL alum rocked a red Kansas City Chiefs hoodie under a black puffer coat and black skinny pants
Wilde stated that: ‘Jason’s actions were clearly intended to threaten me and catch me off guard. He could have served me discreetly, but instead he chose to serve me in the most aggressive manner possible.
‘The fact that Jason would embarrass me professionally and put our personal conflict on public display in this manner is extremely contrary to our children’s best interests.’
Sudeikis later responded, apologizing by saying that he was ‘very, very sorry’ and that he ‘deeply regretted’ the manner in which she was served.
His response detailed the reason for his contesting the children’s previously agreed on custody arrangement.
Nevertheless, despite making it clear it was not his decision to serve Wilde in this way, it led many on Twitter on Monday to question whether Sudeikis was in fact the right person to deliver such a sensitive message regarding mental health at the White House.
‘Didn’t he have his wife served custody papers in front of a live audience to embarrass her?’ asked one Twitter user.
‘He subpoenaed his girlfriend PUBLICLY!’ wrote another outraged user.
‘Joe Biden wow thank you for having these experts come in to discuss,’ posted Peter, sarcastically.
‘Who cares what an actor thinks?’ asked Orville Alloway.
‘Wouldn’t a meeting with true mental health experts and medical personnel be more imperative than a celebrity photo op speaking to the press corps??’ David Strickhouser pointed out.
Sudeikis and Wilde started dating in 2011 and ended their relationship in November 2020.
They waged an ugly custody battle over their children that overlapped with Wilde’s relationship with Harry Styles, 29.
Sudeikis filed suit against his ex in New York City Family Court in October 2021 with the dispute largely revolving around where their children would live.
While he wanted them to live in Brooklyn, Wilde was hoping to have them stay in Los Angeles and possibly relocate to London, where her then-boyfriend Styles was living before they split last November.
Sudeikis enjoyed a whirlwind trip to Washington D.C. this week, where he spoke about the importance of mental health alongside his Ted Lasso co-stars at the White House
He is currently facing backlash for telling others to ‘sincerely’ care about the mental health of friends and family at the White House despite publicly humiliating Wilde, 39, less than a year ago; the pair seen in 2018
Backlash: He did so by serving the actress – who he split from in November 2021 after a nine-year engagement – custody papers as she spoke in front of industry executives during CinemaCon 2022 (pictured)
They waged an ugly custody battle over their children following their November 2021 split that overlapped with Wilde’s relationship with Harry Styles, 29; Wilde and Styles seen in 2022
In a legal filing signed last August, a judge ruled ‘New York was not the home state of the subject children’ and that rather ‘California was the children’s home state.’
The couple recently have been more amicable and are now said to be on good terms as they co-parent their children.
Mental health and looking after one another is a theme of Ted Lasso, Sudeikis told reporters from the lectern as he helped press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre open her daily White House briefing.
The Emmy-winning, feel-good show on Apple TV+ just opened its third season.
‘While it’s easier said than done, we also have to know that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help ourselves,’ Sudeikis said. ‘That does take a lot, especially when it´s something that has such a negative stigma to it, such as mental health and it doesn´t need to be that way.
‘And if you can ask for that help from a professional, fantastic,’ he continued. ‘If it needs to be a loved one, equally as good, in a lot of ways.’
Mental health is part of Biden’s bipartisan ‘unity agenda.’
He has called on lawmakers to direct more resources toward fighting what some say is a crisis, and the administration has surged funding to bolster a new 988 suicide and crisis line and put more mental-health professionals in schools.
Sudeikis said there should be no stigma attached to reaching out for help because everyone knows someone who has needed a shoulder to lean on, or has been that person themselves.
‘No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably, I assume, we all know someone who has, or have been that someone ourselves actually, that´s struggled, that´s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone,’ he said.
‘It’s actually one of the many things, believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings,’ Sudeikis continued. ‘That means it’s something that we can all, you know, and should, talk about with one another when we´re feeling that way or when we recognize that in someone feeling that way.’
He issued a special appeal for people in the nation’s capital.
‘I know in this town a lot of folks don’t always agree, right, and don´t always feel heard, seen, listened to,’ Sudeikis said. ‘But I truly believe we should all do our best to help take care of each other. That´s my own personal belief. I think that´s something that everyone up here on stage believes in.’
The Bidens have seen some of Ted Lasso and are familiar with its messages of hope and kindness, according to the White House.
Biden on Sunday tweeted a photo of the Oval Office with a sign reading ‘BELIEVE’ taped above the door – a reference to Lasso’s mantra.
Joining Sudeikis at the daily briefing were cast members Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Toheeb Jimoh. The group was given a tour of the president’s private living quarters, a White House official said.
Nevertheless, despite making it clear it was not his decision to serve Wilde in this way, it led many on Twitter on Monday to question whether Sudeikis was in fact the right person to deliver such a sensitive message regarding mental health at the White House (pictured)
Theme: Mental health and looking after one another is a theme of Ted Lasso, Sudeikis told reporters from the lectern as he helped press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre open her daily White House briefing
Ending the stigma: Sudeikis said there should be no stigma attached to reaching out for help because everyone knows someone who has needed a shoulder to lean on, or has been that person themselves
As he left the briefing room, Sudeikis was asked if he would do the Joe Biden impression he used to do on Saturday Night Live,’but he declined, saying that ‘they got the real one here now.’
Ted Lasso won Emmys in 2022 and 2021 for best comedy, best lead actor in a comedy for Sudeikis and best supporting actor in a comedy for Brett Goldstein, among other wins.
After winning in 2021, Sudeikis said the show was about family, mentors and teachers, and teammates.
‘And I wouldn’t be here without those three things in my life,’ he said.
