There were no talent agents or auditions lined up for Newport Beach, California native Ted McGinley as he looked towards graduating from the University of Southern California, where he was captain of the water polo team and member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. His plan was pretty much like every other twenty-something in that moment—figure something out.
“I thought I’d probably go into commercial real estate,” McGinley told The Epoch Times. “A lot of us were doing that. And I thought that’s what I would do. Or I wanted to have my own advertising agency. I was sort of interested in that.”
But acting as a career? “It wasn’t even in the conversation,” recalled McGinley, whose wholesome good looks no doubt led him into commercials and modeling work that soon caught the eye of a “Happy Days” casting director.
Playing the part of Roger Phillips, Richie Cunninghams’ cousin, on “Happy Days,” was the first of his varied and rich contributions he made to many of TV’s iconic series including “The Love Boat,” “Dynasty,” “Married… with Children,” “Hope & Faith,” “Sports Night,” “The West Wing.” In film, he’s remembered for the villainous role of Stan Gable in “Revenge of the Nerds.”
“I’ve been kicking around for a billion years,” said McGinley, whose appreciation for his latest role on the dramedy “Shrinking” runs deep. McGinley’s Derek is the sometimes goofy, always supportive and shamelessly loving husband of the nosy but well-intentioned Liz (Christa Miller). The couple are next door neighbors to the show’s central character Jimmy (Jason Segel) and his daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell).
“I’ve learned from having worked with people who have made it and being around people who have made it that it’s not making it, it’s the journey,” said McGinley, 67. “And if you can’t enjoy the journey, what happens is when you make it, it’s worthless. So I don’t have a problem with what I considered never making it because one it always fuels—‘I still got a chance’ and two it’s trying to get there— it’s the fight. I never showed up once at anything and someone said ‘Oh you’re good. This is gonna be great.’ I’ve fought for everything, always. I’m okay with that.”
“Shrinking”—season one and two are streaming on Apple TV; season three premieres on Jan. 28—coalesces around Jimmy, a grieving therapist who tries to put his life back together following the death of his wife with the help of several close friends, including fellow therapists Paul (Harrison Ford) and Gaby (Jessica Williams), his longtime friend Brian (Michael Urie), and his neighbors, Liz and Derek.
“The writer’s room can’t be discounted when you watch a show,” McGinley said of the show’s depth. “You have to realize that all of these characters are doing things that these people sat in a room and created these amazing characters and these storylines. I just saw some of season three and I’m blown away because when you actually see how the characters flavor it and color it and play it or how the director shot it and put it together. It’s really a beautiful dance.”
By his side through much of his decades-long career has been the woman he describes as “my favorite actress in the world,” his wife, Gigi Rice. The couple, who share two adult sons, will celebrate 35 years of marriage in June.
“When we first got married we both had shows,” he said. “In fact for a while she was doing “The John Larroquette Show” and I was doing “Married… with Children” and we were both on the same lot so it was fantastic. We had a giant room for our baby. It was phenomenal.”
As their family grew, McGinley said, “we made an agreement that if one was working, the other one would not. We had that responsibility. My wife, to her credit, has put herself last on many occasions. And I think our kids [a music mogul and an orthopedic surgeon] are proof that it worked.”
It’s exactly as it should be at this moment in his life, believes McGinley, that as a husband, as a father he can play Derek so authentically. “The truth is, as if I’ve gotten older and go through all of the challenges and I have boys and I’ve got boys on the show, I get all that,” he said. “For me, I needed so much seasoning. That’s sort of what life has put on me and now that I’m wearing it more it’s sort of been cooked into me. It’s important. I watch someone like Lukita or Luke [Tennie, who plays Sean, a military veteran with post-traumatic stress syndrome] who are these young souls who are so good strictly out of just being pure. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any of that as a young person.”
McGinley’s “seasoning” only deepens in the upcoming season. “Derek has a wild ride,” McGinley said. “He has some challenges. Liz and Derek’s relationship changes because of what they go through with their family, with their boys. Derek is going to go through some physical changes as well. And you will see how they love each other. And you will see how real it is.”
Since the series debuted, he’s been humbled by the viewers and the industry’s reactions to the show and especially to his character. The most important audience, however, has been closer to home. ”It’s the first time my kids have ever watched anything that I’ve done,” McGinley said.
“I’m super proud that my family can be proud of me and the work. It’s a dream come true to be honest with you. It is so not lost on me, the sense of gratitude that I got this chance.”
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