WSSNews Vol 40 No 5 | Thursday April 16, 2026

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2026

Actor Xavier Beloved New Role as George Heitman in HBO's Hit Comedy Series 'Rooster'

LOS ANGELES, CA---- HBO's new original comedy series Roost- er premieres Sundays at 10/9c on HBO and streams on HBO Max. The 10-episode series is produced by Warner Bros. Television and led by co-showrunners and ex- ecutive producers Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, with Steve Carell headlining the cast while also tak- ing on an executive producer role. Set on a college campus, Rooster follows successful author Greg Russo (Carell), who accepts a writer-in-residence position at Ludlow College at the invitation of its president. The university also employs his daughter, Katie (Charly Clive), a professor navi- gating a separation from her hus- band, Archie (Phil Dunster), after he leaves her for a graduate stu- dent, Sunny (Lauren Tsai).

Xavier Beloved plays George Heitman, an athlete at Ludlow College who, despite his impos- ing physical presence, is a gentle giant whose kindness defines him. Beloved describes his experience working on the comedy series led by Bill Lawrence as a dream come true. Having grown up watching Scrubs and Clone High, he was a fan long before he ever con- sidered a career in the industry. That admiration deepened during the COVID era, when Ted Lasso resonated with him on a more per- sonal level and sparked a greater appreciation for Lawrence's sto- rytelling.

Coming onto Rooster, Beloved describes the experience as both surreal and creatively informa- tive. The role challenged him to embrace vulnerable and explore emotional depth in ways he hadn't before, making the project espe- cially meaningful.

Working alongside Steve Carell, he says, only elevated the experience.

"I don't think enough people talk about how his aura fills a room— it's so warm and welcoming that you almost forget to be nervous," Beloved says. "For many of us up-and-coming actors playing students on the show, this is our nitely moments where I thought, 'Wow... I'm really doing scenes with a comedy legend right now. He adds that Carell brings a rare balance of presence and generos- ity to every scene. "He really lis- tens, reacts in the moment, and stays present, which makes it so much easier to find a natural rhythm with him."

That sense of humility extended off-camera as well. Early in pro- duction, Beloved recalls address- ing him as “Mr. Carell” out of re- spect-until the actor quickly put him at ease.

"He pulled me aside and said, ‘Hey, we're equals―you can just call me Steve," Beloved says. “That meant a lot to me as a new actor. It created this sense of com- fort, like I wasn't being judged by my résumé, just by the work we were doing together."

According to Beloved, by watch- ing the show, audiences can expect a thoughtful balance of humor and heart. "At its core, it's about au- thentic relationships and those ev- eryday relatable moments people actually go through" he says.

Beneath its comedic surface, the biggest takeaway from the show is that it's never too late to rein- vent yourself. It's never too late to find community, pursue new am- bitions, or start over—an idea that runs counter to the pressures often embedded in modern culture.

"American pop culture has a way of conditioning us to feel like once you hit a certain age, that's it—you've got to have everything figured out," Beloved explains. "That's why people will relate to Greg Russo. Yeah, he's success- ful, but he's also human. He's coming out of a breakup and kind of hiding from the world, like a lot of us do at times.”

Rather than simply telling a sto- ry about rediscovery, Rooster fo- cuses on what it takes to break out of emotional isolation and allow yourself to grow.

The ensemble cast includes Steve Carell, Charly Clive, Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, John C. McGinley, Lauren Tsai, and Con- nie Britton.

• Watch the official trailer at
• STEVE CARELL
• He's here to learn.
• HBO ORIGINAL
• Rooster

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