Steve Carell and the cast of “Rooster,” joined by producers Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, spoke at SXSW on St. Patrick’s Day at Austin’s J.W. Marriott. Carell was joined by cast members Danielle Deadwyler and Charly Clive, who play Dylan Shepherd and Katie, Carell’s fictional daughter. The series centers on Carell’s Greg Russo, a successful genre novelist who is pulled into an escalating crisis involving his daughter and arrives at his daughter’s college after her husband, a professor at the fictional Ludlow College, impregnates a student, inciting a campus scandal.
STEVE CARELL AS GREG RUSSO
Steve Carell onstage at the J.W. Mariott on March 17, 2026 at SXSW in Austin.
Greg Russo, Carell’s author character, is written as a Lee Child‑type figure: a successful genre writer whose world-famous character, Rooster, overshadows the writer’s real personality. When Greg arrives on campus, faculty and students begin treating him as though he *is* his fictional hero, adding comic confusion. The 10‑episode, half-hour series premiered with HBO’s strongest comedy debut in a decade, and with $21 million in state tax credits recently announced, its future looks promising.
When asked why he took the role, Carell deadpanned, “It was mostly money, really,” before shifting to honesty: “It felt true. I have been experiencing a lot of these life moments with my own daughter… I like parts representative of all parts of life, just experiencing life as it comes.”
Carell emphasized that he never wanted Greg to be a fantasy figure. “I didn’t want Greg to be a Walter Mitty type,” he said. “He isn’t completely comfortable in that role. Greg didn’t strive to be famous. He just wanted to be a writer. I think he is shy, but not an introvert… I read the pilot and thought it was terrific. A lot of times, you don’t know if something feels authentic until you’re in the moment, but this was an instant feeling of ensemble.” He compared the experience warmly to his seven years on “The Office.”
CHARLEY CLIVE AS KATIE
British actress Charly Clive, who plays Greg’s daughter Katie, surprised many attendees when she spoke in her natural British accent. Known previously for the U.K. series “Pure,” Clive is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and is making her first major American splash here.
DANIELLE DEADWYLER AS DYLAN SHEPHERD
Co-star Danielle Deadwyler, taking on a comedic role far from her dramatic work, laughed, “I don’t have a comedy background. I’m winging it, baby.” Carell praised the differences in their backgrounds: “The fun is finding the common ground… There’s so many different directions you can take this.” Casting director Allison Jones (“Scrubs”) received accolades for assembling the ensemble.
BILL LAWRENCE
Bill Lawrence, whose resume includes “Ted Lasso,” “Scrubs,” “Shrinking,” and “Bad Monkey”, shared advice given to him by Michael J. Fox on “Spin City” about comic timing and staying faithful to the moment, an anecdote involving the line “People who need people.” Lawrence and Carell described “Rooster” as a show built on gentleness, saying, “A little push of kindness is needed right now.”
LUDLOW COLLEGE
The team recreated a New England college campus in Los Angeles under the directions of production designer Cabot McMullen, who has worked with Lawrence and Tarses for decades. Students from Stockton, California, helped populate the campus world. The cast praised the students’ energy.
NUDITY
Fans of the first episode will remember John McGinley, often shirtless, as University employee and Rooster fa Walter Manes. Carell teased that in episode six, “I do some nudity.” Scott MacArthur (“Breaking Bad”), who plays a hockey coach with a drinking problem, earned laughs for opening a beer bottle using part of a player’s helmet.
“If you can create that kind of work environment,” Carell said, “it shows up onscreen.”The series premiered March 8th to a warm audience reception and is well on its way to being successful.
