Christopher McDonald in ‘Grease 2.’
Credit: Paramount Pictures
NEED TO KNOW
On April 8, 2026, Christopher McDonald attended the Los Angeles premiere of HBO’s Hacks season five
During the event, the 71-year-old actor recalled the casting process for Grease 2 and revealed which character he really wanted to play
Despite landing the role of Goose McKenzie in the 1982 musical sequel, he says he had ‘no qualms about anything’
While celebrating the season five premiere of HBO’s Hacks, Christopher McDonald took a moment to reflect on an earlier chapter of his career — his role on the 1982 musical, Grease 2.
During the event, the 71-year-old actor spoke candidly about the rigorous audition process for the cult-favorite sequel and even revealed which role he initially wanted before being cast as Goose McKenzie, a member of the T-Birds.
“I really wanted to play Johnny Nogerelli, but you can’t wash the Irish off of my face, so I never got that far,” he joked to PEOPLE.
Nevertheless, for McDonald, the film remains a meaningful milestone, even decades later.
“It’s got legs. And the great Pat Birch, our director, who was the choreographer for the first one and became the director on the second one, she put me in that film after an exhaustive program where you had to dance and sing and act and all that stuff,” the Happy Gilmore actor continued.
Christopher McDonald, Adrian Zmed, Peter Frechette, and Leif Green in ‘Grease 2.’
Credit: Paramount Pictures
After completing the intense audition process, McDonald said he was ultimately sent home, a moment that left him questioning his path. He remembered walking away from the experience thinking, “Oh my God, this business is so hard.”
Still, the setback didn’t last long. Soon after, the phone rang, and it was Birch on the other end offering him another opportunity.
McDonald remembers her telling him, “Chris, I’m sorry about what happened today. We’re doing mixing and matching tomorrow. We love you. Come on in, see, have fun. If it works out, all the better for all of us.”
Taking that advice to heart, McDonald returned with a new mindset, focusing less on pressure and “fear” and more on enjoying the moment. That shift ultimately led him to land the role of Goose, securing his place in the film and allowing him to be part of its legacy.
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Looking back, he credited that approach for making all the difference. “I had no qualms about anything. It was really a genius direction just to play… And then we traveled and we did all the great stuff to promote it,” he tells PEOPLE. “And it came out, it was sort of panned, but the women really, really respond to it.”
Leif Green, Peter Frechette, Adrian Zmed and Christopher McDonald in ‘Grease 2.’
Credit: Paramount Pictures
McDonald, however, wasn’t the only one who felt the pressure surrounding the sequel at the time.
In a September 2025 interview on the SmartLess podcast, Michelle Pfeiffer — who starred as Stephanie Zinone, the leader of the Pink Ladies — admitted she was “terrified” after being cast, pointing to the legacy left by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the original film.
Pfeiffer, who played opposite Maxwell Caulfield, recalled worrying about audience expectations, especially as the film was heavily promoted.
“[The audience doesn’t] know who we are and they’re taking out ads that say ‘too hot,’ ” she told co-host Sean Hayes. “And I’m like, ‘Don’t say that. What if they don’t think I’m hot? Don’t tell them I’m hot anyway.’ ”
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