Ted McGinley on December 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Photo:Unique Nicole/FilmMagic
Unique Nicole/FilmMagic
The 66-year-old actor, who has over 90 acting credits, revealed to PEOPLE that his role as Derek has moved him to tears as he reflected on garnering critical recognition for his efforts.
At the Dec. 12 “An Evening withShrinkingat PaleyLive” event, McGinley explained that it has been one of the highlights of his career to portray the steady, easygoing husband ofChrista Miller’s Liz and next-door neighbor toJason Segel’s Jimmy. “I get teary-eyed every single time. I’m so used to people saying not kind things in my regards,” theHappy Daysalum explained. “So it’s really nice to have something else to be said.”
“I have had great jobs,” he continued, noting that he’s worked with “great people,” but his current project is “the sweetest spot [he’s] ever been.” He credits that to the writers, who created a character that “people respond to.”
“Derek represents light at the end of the tunnel and a warm blanket when you’re on a raft in the middle of a cold,” he said. “And I think that’s beautiful. That’s how I see it.”
“For me, I’m completely shocked. And it brings me to tears constantly when I think about it,” he shared. “I thought I would die without ever having gotten to this place.
As for how he landed the role, he explained to PEOPLE that he’s tested with show co-creatorBill Lawrence“on many occasions.”
Eventually, one day, Lawrence told him, “‘One of these days we’re going to do something epic.’”
“He was a man of his word, and he called me one day and said, ‘I’ve got something,’” he said, adding, “So anyway, all of a sudden the phone rings. It goes to show you that if you’re patient, that life, just let it come around, and trust and believe and stay in the game.”
Once McGinley scored the role, details about his character and the show were “almost top secret,” but Lawrence told him Derek is someone who “says things that maybe don’t sound that nice, but everything is nice.”
“Then I began to understand him in the surroundings of this show where we’re dealing with so much hurt and pain and dark and that you need to have a place where people can lean,” he said. “You’ve got to have a safe spot."
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source: people.com
