John C. McGinley is coming home for Christmas in Hallmark+’s new holiday series Holidazed. During the TCA Summer Press Tour, I got to sit down with the Scrubs star to talk about his career, the joy of holiday traditions, and the special experience of working alongside close friends on this heartwarming project. In our conversation, McGinley opens up about the unique dynamics on the Holidazed set, the special camaraderie he shares with co-star Virginia Madsen, and how his recent USO work influenced his approach to his character, Chuck Manetti-Hanahan, a former marine with a tough exterior but a soft heart. With his trademark blend of humor and insight, McGinley reflects on his decades-long journey in Hollywood and the lasting impact of family, both on-screen and off.
(Courtesy Hallmark Media)
Alex: Congratulations on the launch of Holidazed. I know you best from Scrubs, but you've had a lot of really big milestones in your career. Would you say Scrubs is still what you’re most recognized for, or has that shifted?
John C. McGinley: It’s demographically specific. Guys my age recognize me from Platoon and Wall Street. A lot of people of color recognize me from Set It Off and On Deadly Ground with [Steven] Seagal, and then Surviving the Game with Ice-T and Are We Done Yet? with Ice Cube, which, funny enough, just hit number nine on Netflix. It’s so funny how these things are cyclical. I’m super proud of the one I got to do with Ice Cube. Then everybody else knows me from Scrubs. I mean, it was on for almost 10 years. And, you know, I keep hearing rumors that we’re going to go back and do more next year. I think Zach [Braff], Donald [Faison], Sarah [Chalke], and I are all up for it, as long as Bill Lawrence, who we all worship, is the captain of the ship. I’d love to see that happen, but I only know what you know.
Alex: That’s great. Now, for Holidazed and Hallmark, was this a role you had to audition for, or did they think of you for it?
John C. McGinley: I was actually on a USO mission at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo with the United States Army. We were going from Kosovo across Poland, visiting forward operating bases (FOBs), to Warsaw. The war in Ukraine had started, so we were only allowed halfway across Poland. Then, we went back to Germany to continue the tour. While I was at Camp Bondsteel, Gina [Matthews, writer/director/executive producer] called and asked if I wanted to do this. I said I'd love to read it, and the minute I read it, I knew I wanted to do it. They even let me have a say in casting my wife, which was important to me because it's the most crucial role in the movie. When I saw Virginia Madsen’s name on the list, I was all in. We became really good friends filming Highlander II in Buenos Aires, spending four months there together. She’s one of my dear friends, and by the time I got home from Germany, Virginia was cast. From there, I knew it would work out. I didn’t realize it would turn out as spectacular as it has, but I think the piece is really moving, hilarious, and wildly ambitious.
Alex: Famously, TV is a fast-paced world, and Ser’Darius Blain mentioned how quickly he got into his role. What was the shooting timeframe like for Holidazed?
John C. McGinley: I got back from Kosovo in mid-October, and we shot from October to Christmas. It was freezing—there was real precipitation in our breath; no CGI there. The weather actually helps actors sometimes because you don’t have to “act” cold. You just are. At 2 a.m., when it’s freezing, and there’s no phone to distract you, you’re fully present in the scene. I like those kinds of conditions. It reminds me of Platoon in the Philippines, where the weather was miserable. The lens picks up on that authenticity, and it shows.
Alex: You mentioned your long friendship with Virginia Madsen. Was it strange to play a married couple with someone you’re so close to?
John C. McGinley: It was the opposite. The fact that we trust and admire each other actually made it easier. We’re great friends, and we trust each other, which morphs into love on camera. Virginia’s the best. We both like working fast, too. I don’t love doing tons of takes; I know when we’ve got it within four or five takes. Virginia’s the same way, and the crews up in Canada work quickly too. It was just one more thing that went right on this project.
Alex: Speaking of your USO work and time with the military, did that experience influence this role at all?
John C. McGinley: It did, actually. I came back from Kosovo, and someone told me there was a standing order of no facial hair on Hallmark. I pushed back, saying that everyone I met in Kosovo had facial hair. My character, Chuck, is a retired Marine, so facial hair felt true to his character. Gina went to bat for me on that, and I appreciated it. It’s a small thing, but it gave me a sense of ownership over the role.
(Courtesy Hallmark Media)
Alex: What does Christmas look like for you?
John C. McGinley: We go big on the tree at my house. The great room is about 22 feet high, so I get a massive 15 or 16-foot tree, which is preposterous. My wife, Nicole, strings thousands of mini lights, and then the rest of us put up the ornaments. We don’t use glass anymore after our son, Max, broke one a few years ago. Now, everything is shatter-proof. It’s a three- or four-night process, and it makes the whole Christmas season feel special.
Alex: Speaking of traditions, I know Holidazed has that holiday charm. Is this something you could see becoming a recurring project?
John C. McGinley: Absolutely. I’ve already heard some ideas for next year, and I think it could be a big fat “yes” on that. There’s so much potential to explore.
Alex: I heard that the actor’s trailers were far from the cul-de-sac where a lot of scenes were filmed. Did that impact the filming experience?
John C. McGinley: Yeah, they were about 15 minutes away, which discouraged us from running back and forth. We ended up staying on set, so it fostered a strong ensemble feeling. There was Wi-Fi in the house, and people could do what they needed on downtime. It reminded me of Platoon, where we were always on set, and that immersion strengthens connections.
Alex: After filming Holidazed, have you kept in touch with the cast?
John C. McGinley: The funny thing with actors is that you’re available to each other while you’re working, and then you move on to the next project. But when you reconnect, you pick up right where you left off. It’s like that with the Scrubs cast, too. Everyone’s busy, but there’s a bond. It’s a unique dynamic, and if you’re lucky, it means you can reconnect easily when you see each other again.
Alex: Do you have a preference between stage acting and screen acting?
John C. McGinley: I don’t. Whether someone’s calling action or the curtain’s going up, you have to do something—you have to pick a verb and commit. I went to NYU’s grad program, where the mantra was eight shows a week, so I bring that work ethic to every set.
Alex: I heard you’re involved with the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. How did that come about?
John C. McGinley: My son, Max, was born with Down Syndrome, and after a few years, I wanted to use my platform meaningfully. I connected with Michelle Sie Whitten from the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, which focuses on science and research, especially on Alzheimer’s, which is a high risk in the Down syndrome community. I’ve been on the board for over 10 years, and it’s one of the best things I’ve done.
Alex: That’s amazing. With Holidazed, did you get to incorporate anything else personal into your character?
John C. McGinley: I wanted to stay true to Chuck’s fear of becoming irrelevant. He’s a former Marine and a strong man who’s dealing with the feeling of being superfluous as he gets older. There’s a scene where that focus on staying “relevant” leads him to miss his wife’s declining health, and it rounds out his story beautifully. I couldn’t wait to play that scene.
Alex: You mentioned you don’t like doing a lot of takes. Was that a quick scene to shoot?
John C. McGinley: We needed six setups for coverage, but I was locked and loaded for it. I understand loss and compromise, and I drew from my own experiences, especially with my son, Max. The lens sees that honesty as something real.
Alex: Your characters often have that “man’s man” quality. Do you find it hard to bring vulnerability to these roles?
John C. McGinley: I think Scrubs did a great job of showing Dr. Cox’s gruffness and heart of gold. He’s damaged, which makes his behavior relatable, and Holidazed has a similar tone. Each family has a crisis, and for Chuck, his struggle with becoming irrelevant adds depth.
Alex: I’m sure fans will resonate with that. Thank you so much for sharing, John. This has been great.
John C. McGinley: Thank you!
The first two episodes of Holidazed are now streaming exclusively on Hallmark+. New episodes release on Thursdays.