Television April 23, 2026
John C. McGinley on Losing 44 Lbs. & Getting Shredded at 67 for ‘Rooster’ (Exclusive)
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John C. McGinley is having a seriously big moment at 67!
The actor, who made his mark in the 1986 film “Platoon,” is starring in two hit series.
“Rooster” is on track to become the most watched HBO Max comedy in over a decade!
Plus, he told “Extra” he thinks his hit revival series “Scrubs” will be back for Season 2, saying, “How good is that!”
McGinley’s success comes with a cost. His “Rooster” character, college president Walt Mann, loves a heat and ice protocol and spends much of the series shirtless.
John dropped 44 lbs. for the role, and said of his character, “I take people into my truth barrel and they share things with me on the show. That means I’m just going to be in surf trunks. Vanity dictates at 67 that you shed it.”
And John has to stay shredded now that “Rooster” has been picked up for Season 2. He joked, “I’m starving.”
McGinley also reflected on launching his career in Oliver Stone's “Platoon,” which won best picture winner at the Oscars.
“When it won best picture and that hype, people buy the hype,” he said. "And so all of a sudden, ‘McGinley was in ‘Platoon.’ That must mean something. We don’t know who McGinley is, but he was in that group. And so you get a second, third and fourth plate appearance based on that and that’s all I needed. I just needed a crack and I could go.”
“Rooster” is now streaming on HBO Max.