The new HBO comedy series Rooster is ready to land, bringing together a major star and a team of fan-favorite actors. Led by Steve Carell and created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, the show takes place on a busy college campus. The official release is set for Sunday, March 8, 2026 on HBO and HBO Max.
This guide breaks down the full cast and the characters they play, giving you a clear look at who’s who before the show starts.
The Story of “Rooster”: A Father, A Daughter, and A Campus
At its heart, Rooster is about a complicated family relationship dropped into the chaos of university life. The story follows Greg Russo, a best-selling author played by Steve Carell. Greg comes to the college campus where his daughter, Katie, works as a professor after she faces a personal crisis.
Katie’s husband, another professor, has left her for a graduate student. Greg plans to help his daughter and then leave, but he ends up staying longer than expected. Students on campus who know his books start calling him “Rooster,” which is the name of the tough, main character he writes about. Greg decides to try acting like his own fictional hero, leading to funny situations as he interacts with students, faculty, and tries to fix his relationship with Katie. The show is a ten-episode season that will air weekly.
The Main Cast and Characters
The show features a lead actor everyone knows, paired with a co-lead who is rising fast, supported by a strong group of performers.
Steve Carell as Greg Russo
Steve Carell takes the lead role of Greg Russo. Greg is a famous author who finds himself out of his depth on his daughter’s college campus. He writes adventure books featuring a very masculine hero named Rooster. When campus life gets messy, Greg attempts to become more like the character he created, which doesn’t always go as planned. Carell is also an executive producer on the series.
Charly Clive as Katie
Playing Greg’s daughter, Professor Katie, is Charly Clive. Katie is dealing with a very public personal and professional disaster after her marriage ends. The trailer shows her character is fiery and isn’t afraid to confront her problems head-on, even if it causes more trouble. Her strained relationship with her father is the core of the show’s story.
The Supporting Cast on Campus
The college campus is filled with interesting characters played by a talented mix of actors.
Phil Dunster plays Katie’s ex-husband, a fellow professor whose decision to leave Katie for a graduate student sets the whole story in motion.
Danielle Deadwyler joins the cast in a key role, shown in the trailer moderating a campus lecture about Greg’s books.
John C. McGinley plays the college dean. This role marks a reunion for McGinley with creators Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, as he starred in their earlier hit series Scrubs.
Lauren Tsai is the graduate student who becomes involved with Katie’s ex-husband.
Recurring Guest Stars and Familiar Faces
The series also features a notable list of actors appearing in recurring guest roles, including several who have worked with creator Bill Lawrence before.
Connie Britton is set to appear in a recurring guest role.
Annie Mumolo has also joined the cast in a recurring capacity.
Robby Hoffman, known for her role in Hacks, is part of the recurring cast.
Other guest stars include Alan Ruck and Rory Scovel, both of whom have previously collaborated with Bill Lawrence.
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The Creative Team Behind the Show
Rooster comes from a very experienced comedy team. The series was created and is co-showrun by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses. Lawrence is known for creating popular shows like Scrubs, Cougar Town, and Ted Lasso, while Tarses has worked on Scrubs and The Goldbergs.
The pair also serve as executive producers alongside Steve Carell, Jeff Ingold, Liza Katzer, Jonathan Krisel, Barbie Adler, Annie Mebane, David Stassen, and Anthony King. The production companies involved are Doozer Productions, Two Soups Productions, Film Flam, and Warner Bros. Television.
Filming for the series took place in June 2025 at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, which serves as the show’s campus setting.
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