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Copyright 2003 Scottish Media Newspapers Limited  
Evening Times (Glasgow)

July 18, 2003

SECTION: Pg. 27

LENGTH: 263 words

HEADLINE: Scrub the hard guy film roles

BYLINE: Brian Beacom

BODY:


Scrubs

Channel 4, 9.30pm

YOU'D be forgiven for thinking that actor John C McGinley isn't a nice guy.

His impressive string of movie roles in the likes of Platoon, Wall Street and Se7en - and the recently released Identity - seem to include more than his fair share of hard-hearted, unsmiling figures. But the 43-year-old New Yorker is now getting his chance to make people laugh, with his role as acerbic and sarcastic Dr Perry Cox in Scrubs.

The medical black comedy has been a surprise hit, with its surreal fantasy sequences, and wry wit, as it follows the careers of three medical interns.

"This second season is exponentially better than the first. I envy you the first watching of the second series," says McGinley with enthusiasm.

"I'm so excited I just can't wait to get to the hospital to start shooting. Some of the stuff, for my character in particular, is so insane and damaged."

His complicated role is fascinating to play.

"The more fragile and damaged we are, the more interesting," he says.

"Cox is just a collection of compromised eccentricities and a moral code which seems to be pretty straight up, so there's all these contradictions inside this guy. So it's fantastic to have a go at."

Cox's difficult personal life comes to the fore in the second series too when guest star Heather Locklear joins the show as a sexy pharmaceutical rep.

McGinley grins as he picks out their scenes as one of his favourite parts of the series. "Making out with Heather Locklear would rate way up there," he offers, laughing.

GRAPHIC: John C McGinley

LOAD-DATE: July 19, 2003
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