John C McGinley Steve Carell Rooster Reunion Film

John C McGinley reflects on working with Steve Carell in new series.

When a ‘Scrubs’ Icon Became a High-Stakes Extra

Can you imagine one of television’s most recognizable faces willingly blending into the background just for a glimpse of someone else’s process?

That is exactly what John C. McGinley did in 2017. The 66-year-old actor, famous for his razor-sharp delivery as Dr. Perry Cox, recently admitted that he took a “tiny role” in the film Battle of the Sexes for one reason: Steve Carell.

In an industry often fueled by ego and top billing, McGinley’s admission is a refreshing testament to the “actor’s actor”—the professional who values the craft over the credit.

“I was practically an extra, and I didn’t care,” McGinley told PEOPLE. “I wanted to be with Steve.”

The Allure of the ‘Cerebral’ Performer

McGinley’s admiration for Carell isn’t just about the laughs. He describes the 63-year-old Office star with the kind of reverence usually reserved for classical theater titans.

• The Agility: McGinley calls Carell the most “cerebrally agile” actor he has ever worked with.
• The Pivot: He highlights Carell’s ability to shift the tone of a scene “on a dime” with a level of elegance that leaves fellow performers stunned.
• The Joke: While many can tell a joke, McGinley insists Carell can “turn” one like no other—finding the hidden angles in a script that others miss.

From the Tennis Court to the Dean’s Office

Fast forward to 2026, and the pair have finally reunited as true costars in Bill Lawrence’s new series, Rooster. The dynamic has shifted significantly.

1. The New Role: McGinley plays Dean Walter Mann, the man responsible for nudging Carell’s character, Greg Russo, into the world of academia.
2. The Reunion Joke: When they met on the set of Rooster, McGinley couldn’t help but bring up their 2017 encounter. Carell, ever the gentleman, “acted” like he remembered. McGinley isn’t buying it. “He didn’t [remember]. I was an extra,” he joked.
3. The Stakes: In Rooster, the chemistry is vital as Russo navigates his daughter’s personal crisis while trying to reinvent himself as a teacher.

The Bobby Riggs Blueprint

To understand why McGinley was so desperate to watch Carell work, one has to look at Carell’s approach to Bobby Riggs.

Carell didn’t just play a “villainous” misogynist; he played a self-promoter who understood the zeitgeist.

He saw Riggs as a businessman who used the “Women’s Lib” movement as an “in” to put himself back in the spotlight.

This nuanced layering—turning a caricature into a human being—is what draws actors like McGinley into his orbit.

What People Get Wrong About “Tiny Roles”

In Hollywood, there is a “Small Role” Stigma. Agents often advise established stars against taking “bit parts” for fear of devaluing their brand. McGinley’s career suggests the opposite.

By taking that “extra” role in 2017, he didn’t just get a paycheck; he got a front-row seat to a masterclass. That proximity informed his own performance years later in Rooster.

The counter-intuitive truth is that great actors never stop being students. If you have the chance to watch a master “turn a joke” from five feet away, you take it—even if your name is at the bottom of the call sheet.

Key Takeaways:

• John C. McGinley took a near-extra role in Battle of the Sexes specifically to observe Steve Carell.
• McGinley describes Carell as the most “cerebrally agile and nimble” actor in the industry.
• The two actors are now co-starring in the Bill Lawrence series Rooster.
• Carell’s portrayal of Bobby Riggs focused on the character’s savvy as a businessman and self-promoter.

Whether he’s a background player or a college dean, John C. McGinley has proven that in the world of high-level acting, there are no small parts—only small egos.