Juno Temple Does Some Heavy Lifting in Oikos’ Super Bowl Commercial

Brian Steinberg
·2-min read

Juno Temple’s first commercial gave her a workout.

Known for her winning roles in series such as “Ted Lasso” and “Fargo,” Temple got a taste of a different sort of acting by working with Oikos, the Greek yogurt from Danone North America that is making its sixth consecutive appearance in the Super Bowl. In a 30-second spot scheduled to appear during Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl LIX, Temple is shown lugging her friend, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, on her shoulders across a crowded airport. Such is the power of protein delivered by Oikos.

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In real life, of course, Temple says she did not actually carry the athlete that far. “ I didn’t ever run with him through the airport. Sad. I can’t do that yet,” she acknowledges during a recent interview. “There’s hope still.:” But there was a moment where she was able to lift him briefly. “I think we both surprised each other,” she says. To make her labors look authentic, Temple carried a weight on her back and she made her moves.

The sight of the diminutive Temple hauling a large football player across the airport is how Oikos executives think their spot will stand out in a crowd of commercials for pizza, candy, beer and chips. “At Oikos, we power all types of strength and we’re proud to offer fans nutritious, high-quality protein options that are sure to provide a boost whenever they need it most in their everyday lives,” says Victoria Badiola, vice president of Greek & functional nutrition at Danone North America, in a statement.

This type of work is new for Temple. “I’ve never done a commercial before,” she admits.

She found the job very different from other roles. “It feels like more of a whirlwind, I guess,” because “the director has to think about it from the standpoint of it being maybe 45 seconds, then 20 seconds, and then maybe a 15 second.” A quick line or movement may be “an important beat” in telling a quick story. “When I’m on a film or a TV set, I’m not selling a brand. I’m telling a story,”  which comes with different requirements.

But Temple thinks the Oikos role has her playing another character with inner fortitude. “It felt very on point for me, and it’s important to me to have a kind of surprise strength that gives you a little power that isn’t always on display,” she says. The people who make Oikos probably couldn’t ask for a better marketing recipe.

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