‘Rooster’s Connie Britton On Playing Steve Carell’s Ex-Wife And A “Selfish” Mom: “This Part Is A Departure For Me In A Lot Of Ways”

Three decades after Connie Britton’s big break, the beloved actor is beaming with gratitude over a “magical” full-circle career moment.

Before Britton captured hearts and captivated viewers in major roles on Friday Night Lights, Nashville, American Horror Story, The White Lotus, 9-1-1, and dozens of other projects, she starred in her first film, The Brothers McMullen, and her first big TV series, Spin City. After recently reprising her role of Molly McMullen in The Family McMullen sequel movie, Britton got an unexpected call from Spin City creator Bill Lawrence, who asked her to star in his new HBO comedy Rooster as Elizabeth Stoddard, the ex-wife of Steve Carell’s character, Greg Russo.

“Bill came to me with this, and I was like, ‘Gosh, it would be really fun to work with him again!’ Obviously I’ve seen all of his success over the years, but getting onto the set, I saw why he’s so successful. He’s become such a master at show-running and creating an incredible environment to work in that’s so fun and collaborative,” Britton told Decider over Zoom. “Everybody involved feels a sense of excitement and ownership around the show. And it was funny, Bill and I both kept saying to each other, ‘Gosh, you got way better at this!’ After 30 years, it’s nice to appreciate where you came from and your roots.”

When chatting with Decider ahead of Rooster‘s premiere, Lawrence said he felt “such joy” reuniting with Britton (and Spin City star Alan Ruck). “If somebody’s talented and I want to spend time with them, I’m going to. The coolest thing about the job is you get to a place where you can hire your friends. Why wouldn’t you?” Lawrence continued. “Connie and I started on Spin City. It was both of our breaks. It was her first major role after Brothers McMullen, and the first show I ever created. So [Rooster co-creator] Matt Tarses let me do this and also policed it so everyone played specific characters and no one was doing stuff they’ve done before.”

While we don’t meet Elizabeth until Rooster Episode 5, titled “Mr. Razzles,” her history with Ludlow College and her ex husband is teased over the first four installments. We learn that Beth was the inspiration behind one of Greg’s “sexy, beautiful, smart, and brave” book characters. We know Beth cheated on him, and although Greg felt incredibly lonely in his marriage, his biggest regret is not fighting for her. Though the two have been divorced for five years, Greg is still down bad for Beth. So when she funds a new student center and returns to campus for the dedication ceremony, Rooster’s leading man is predictably thrown off balance.

Walt (John C. McGinley) describes Beth as “a philanthropist, a pioneer in corporate gender equality, and an accomplished CEO.” But beyond her success, she’s admittedly selfish, doesn’t do well with emotions, and struggles to engage in meaningful heart-to-hearts — aspects of the character that pushed Britton far outside her comfort zone. 

“Frankly, this part is really a departure for me in a lot of ways. I’ve had a lot of TV daughters. I’ve played a lot of TV moms. And [in Rooster] I’m not the warm, all-knowing mom character, which I loved,” Britton explained. “I loved getting to really mix that up. I had so much fun with it. It’s very nerve-racking to do that, but I always want to feel like I’m going outside the box a bit. So I felt privileged to have the opportunity.”

During a standout mother/daughter scene, Beth attempts to help Katie (Charly Clive) navigate her marital issues while acknowledging that she was “the Archie” of her relationship. “That scene [between Charly and I] is so great. To be able to play with her in this kind of incarnation — that’s a scene where I basically am trying to tell my daughter that she needs to be more selfish like me. And that’s cool,” Britton reflected. “That was a very revelatory moment as a woman, to hear a woman say that to her daughter. Those two have a lot of nuance, and we have a lot of indications of what that really means for them. So I thought that was pretty profound.”

“Frankly, this part is really a departure for me in a lot of ways. I’ve had a lot of TV daughters. I’ve played a lot of TV moms. And [in Rooster] I’m not the warm, all-knowing mom character, which I loved.”

Connie Britton, Rooster

Rooster is the first American TV role for Clive, a British comedian with a fascinating career trajectory. As a huge Friday Night Lights fan, she was ecstatic to share scenes with Britton, who assured Decider the feelings are mutual. “She’s just so magical and lovely, and has such a unique quality that I’m really, really glad they discovered,” Britton said of her newest TV daughter. “She’s so authentic and has such a light about her, but she’s also really, really grounded.”

Despite Britton’s decades of experience, she still had first day of school jitters when joining Rooster — and not just because of the academic setting. “I got cast in this like practically the day before. It was ridiculous,” she revealed. “So I just was coming in and learning as we went. Jumping in in the middle of their season and still being like, ‘Who am I playing? Who are you, actually?’ is a scary feeling, no matter how many years you’ve been doing it.”

Though Britton found it “nerve-racking” to dive right in without fully understanding Rooster‘s tone, she shouted out her Seeking a Friend for the End of the World co-star Carell as “the warmest, most generous human being, and just the master of his craft.” Her first scene with Carell, McGinley, and Danielle Deadwyler in Walt’s office also helped Britton find her footing. “They immediately made me feel not only so welcome, but like I could play. You can fall on your face. You can be ridiculous. And John C. McGinley? I couldn’t get through a scene. He’s so hilarious,” she said.

While Beth has only appeared in one episode, the character already feels incredibly lived in. Britton’s chemistry with the cast seems effortless, and as she gets a chance to flex her comedic chops, she also adds crucial depth to Rooster‘s more emotional beats.

After bonding with Dylan (Deadwyler) and Greg, Beth quickly questions if the two are more than friends. Though they swiftly shut down speculation, Britton confirmed that Beth “1,000%” senses chemistry there. “That’s one of the reasons I loved having her come into the scene. She sees him so clearly. We’re seeing so much of the show from his point of view. So it’s nice for the audience to have somebody who can say, ‘I see you. I know you.’ It gives some solid perspective on who he is, and gives Elizabeth integrity, too.” 

Greg makes an active effort to keep things civil for the weekend, but he can’t help but rehash the past and remind Beth that she once slept with his friend. When he claims he’s just “razzing” her (he’s Mr. Razzles!), she suggests they stop trying to force a friendship. But in Episode 5’s final scene, Beth learns that Greg held onto a photo of her for years simply because it makes him happy. Rather than sit with and unpack the heavy emotions that realization carries, she explains she has an early morning and says her goodbyes.

“There’s so much dimension there. For me, that scene was representative to Elizabeth of why their relationship couldn’t work, but how heartbreaking that was for her. And she doesn’t let you see that very much. It indicated that he was always almost idolizing her. But in doing that, he kept her at arm’s length,” Britton mused. “As the actor, I have to go inside the character and think, ‘Did she so desperately just want her husband to see her for who she was?’ We see so much of the show from Greg’s perspective, but that moment showed Beth really wanted something, too. And she really did love him.”

Beth and Greg part ways without the closure or understanding they crave. But earlier in the episode, Beth mentions she wants to be on campus more often. Though the conversation is derailed before she can answer, Greg also invites her to Thanksgiving. So could Britton return in Season 1’s final five episodes?

“I think you’ll be seeing more of Beth,” Britton teased. So if you need me, I’ll be manifesting a Rooster Thanksgiving episode. And beyond Season 1, I’d love to see Beth on campus more regularly to make Walt squirm, deepen her friendship with Dylan, spend more time with Katie, work through her complex dynamic with Greg, and share scenes with Dean Riggs (Ruck). 

“I would go back in a heartbeat,” Britton confirmed. “I absolutely love the show. I loved being on that set. I love everybody involved. It would be an enormous honor if I was able to go back for Season 2.”

New episodes of Rooster premiere Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.