Bill Lawrence’s Rooster: Steve Carell Is Dream Lead in HBO Comedy Series

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Landing the main role in a TV series is a huge accomplishment, and it’s easy to see why he was the perfect choice for HBO’s upcoming comedy.

I’m really excited about this new show, Rooster! It’s about Greg Russo, a super successful but overbearing author played by Steve Carell, who basically drops his life to help his daughter, Charly (Charly Clive), get through a tough breakup and some work drama. It’s funny to watch him try to fix things for her, especially because he ends up dealing with his own issues while navigating a college campus and trying to manage his larger-than-life personality. The show also stars Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, John C. McGinley, and Lauren Tsai, and it’s a really great mix of heartwarming family moments and funny workplace situations, all set against the backdrop of college life with all its quirky characters and politics. It seems like a really charming and relatable story about a complicated father-daughter relationship.

In a conversation with Liam Crowley from ScreenRant, Tom Lawrence and producer Matt Tarses shared why getting Steve Carell involved was a huge success.

Honestly, landing Steve for this project felt like a total win. My writing partner, Matt Tarses, and I had worked together before – he was a huge help on my show, Bad Monkey, and we really wanted to collaborate again. We started brainstorming by thinking about our ideal cast, and Steve immediately came to mind. It wasn’t just his comedic timing, though – he’s a genuinely strong dramatic actor too. You probably get the same feeling I did when you meet him – when someone so famous is exactly as wonderful as you imagined, it’s amazing. As the three of us talked, we quickly realized we all shared a similar experience, and that became the foundation for the whole show.

What do these three fathers have in common? They all have daughters who are growing up, but still need their guidance and support as dads.

We realized all the dads on our show are at that point where their daughters are growing up and becoming independent, but we’re still trying to act like we’re in charge. That tension – them wanting freedom and us trying to hold on – felt like a good foundation for the series. Plus, we originally envisioned the main character specifically as a father figure, so it just fit.

Bill Lawrence really leads the show. He establishes the standard for everyone else, almost like he has all the answers. You can practically anticipate his performance and know what’s coming, which is incredibly helpful.

Everything The Cast & Team Said About Working With Carell

Katrina Marcinowski/HBO

ScreenRant: What can you tease about Greg’s relationships in the second half of the season?

Okay, so I just watched this, and what really grabbed me was the central character, Steve. He’s a guy who skipped college, but he’s essentially going through all the same self-discovery stuff you usually see happen in college – figuring out who he is, a messy hookup that unexpectedly gets deeper, and the fallout that has on his friendships. It’s a really relatable journey, and I think audiences will connect with it. Plus, the casting is brilliant. Allison Jones is a genius, and she filled out the supporting roles with these amazing comedic actors – Robbie Hoffman, Rory Scoville, Annie Mumlow – they’re all scene-stealers. Seriously, the whole thing is just really well done.

We noticed that the comedians who really connected with the audience got the biggest laughs, which was great. Now, if we’re able to continue, our challenge is figuring out how to maintain this fantastic group of performers.

ScreenRant asked Danielle about working with Steve Carell. They were curious about the on-set chemistry between them – how closely did their performances follow the script, and how much room did they have to improvise and add their own touches?

Danielle Deadwyler describes Steve as incredibly generous, both as an artist and as a person, making him wonderful to work with. She recalls him encouraging multiple takes during her first audition, fostering a playful and exploratory environment. This supportive approach continued throughout the entire production. Deadwyler considers him a truly dedicated and accomplished performer and artist, and she feels fortunate to have shared the experience with him.

Okay, let me tell you, this actor owns this role. He really carries the whole show, and while the supporting cast is fantastic, it’s his presence – that Steve Carell-esque charm and comedic timing – that makes it work. The writing is sharp, delivering both witty banter and genuinely funny physical humor. It’s a really well-rounded comedic performance, and I can’t picture anyone else pulling it off.

Honestly, it was amazing how much Steve embraced the craziness of that scene! I was expecting him to reel things in, maybe cut some of the more outlandish stuff. But he was totally on board, actually adding to it! He’d say something was funny and then ask us to do it again, even adding physical comedy like chasing me around. We just had so much energy and were having a blast, and he let us really run with it. It was such a fun, spontaneous atmosphere.

Check out more of our Rooster coverage here:

  • HBO’s New Comedy Show With A Major Ted Lasso Reunion Debuts To Stellar Rotten Tomatoes Score
  • Rooster Review: Bill Lawrence’s Latest Is Quite Funny, But More Scattershot Than Most
  • Phil Dunster & Steve Carell Team Up For Ted Lasso Creator’s Next Comedy In HBO Max’s Rooster Trailer

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2026-03-07 20:10