Jason Biggs has addressed a long-standing speculation that changed the course of his career. The actor once turned down the lead role in the hit sitcom ‘How I Met Your Mother‘, and he has some very bad reasons for rejecting it.
At the time, he believed he was making the right call. But, looking back, he admits his thinking was just the result of his ego, perception, and Hollywood’s view of television versus film.
Why Jason Biggs Turned Down The Lead Role In ‘How I Met Your Mother’
In a 2021 interview with SiriusXM, Jason Biggs confirmed that he was offered the role of Ted Mosby in ‘How I Met Your Mother‘. The part ultimately went to Josh Radnor, and the show went on to run for nine successful seasons. Looking back, Biggs admitted, “I was offered the role, and it’s probably my biggest regret, you know, on passing.”
Related: ‘American Pie’ Cast: Where Are The Actors And How Do They Look Now?
At the time, however, he did not see television as the right move. He explained, “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.” He questioned whether committing to a long-running sitcom aligned with how he saw his career unfolding.
During an appearance on Neal Brennan’s podcast Blocks, Biggs elaborated on that mindset. He said, “I would pass on some of these TV opportunities.” He acknowledged that it may sound defensive, but there was still “a bit of a weird stigma still around television.” Biggs described how the industry separated actors into TV people and movie people. At that time, he believed he was still a movie person and admitted he passed on ‘How I Met Your Mother‘ “like a f—ing idiot.”
Ego Has Always Played A Big Role in Biggs Career Choices
When ‘How I Met Your Mother‘ premiered in 2005, Biggs was building momentum in film. He had appeared in ‘Anything Else‘ and ‘Jersey Girl‘. Those roles strengthened his identity as a film actor and influenced how he evaluated television offers. Even now, Biggs insists he does not regret his overall journey. He said, “Big picture, I have no regrets. Right? I’m very lucky, very fortunate. I’m still here. That’s number one.”
In case you missed it: Josh Radnor Failed ‘The Office’ Audition Before Becoming Ted Mosby On ‘How I Met Your Mother’
However, he also made it clear that if he could change one decision, he “would’ve taken ‘How I Met Your Mother’ for sure.” On the podcast Blocks, Biggs reflected on how dependent his career had become on the ‘American Pie‘ franchise. He admitted, “I was doing these other movies that weren’t working.”
Because of that, he kept returning to ‘American Pie‘. He explained that the franchise helped him “not only feed myself with food because I could afford to buy really good food, but also feed my ego.” Over time, he realized that his success was becoming more reliant on that single franchise.
Eventually, Biggs reconsidered television and began viewing it as a fallback option. He believed it might offer stability. However, that assumption did not lead to immediate success. When he starred in ‘Mad Love‘, the show did not deliver the breakthrough he had expected.
His television career gained stronger momentum when he joined ‘Orange Is the New Black‘ on Netflix as a series regular. That role became his most significant success on the small screen. Still, the reason Jason Biggs rejected the lead role in ‘How I Met Your Mother‘ came down to one of the biggest regrets.
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