Candice Bergen to Appear on ‘Shrinking’ Opposite Harrison Ford and Fellow Guest Star Michael J. Fox, Says Co-Creator Bill Lawrence

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It was announced over the weekend by “Shrinking” co-creator Bill Lawrence at Austin’s ATX TV Festival that Candice Bergen will join the list of distinguished personalities appearing on Apple TV+’s “Shrinking.” This revelation came during the “Bill Lawrence and Friends” event held at the Paramount Theatre. During this gathering, Lawrence casually mentioned that Bergen, famously known for her role in “Murphy Brown,” will be part of the show’s cast. The series, currently filming its third season, already counts Harrison Ford as a series regular and Michael J. Fox as a previously announced guest star.

During a conversation about potentially collaborating with Fox once more, who was the lead actor in Lawrence’s initial sitcom “Spin City”, Lawrence accidentally revealed Bergen’s role.

Lawrence praised Fox by saying, “He’s among the most remarkable individuals I’ve come across. He’s been a mentor to me. And let me tell you, he’s incredibly inspiring with how he lives his life. To have him back on set and work alongside him again… I didn’t anticipate such notable milestones in my career at this stage, but just recently, I found myself working with Harrison Ford, Mike Fox, and Candice Bergen – sorry for the spoiler!

Lawrence didn’t provide further details about Bergen’s character in “Shrinking” after that comment. Lawrence jointly developed “Shrinking” with Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel, who portrays Jimmy, a therapist whose sorrow over his deceased wife leads him to disregard the rules and bring about significant transformations in the lives of his patients, friends, family, and himself. The ensemble cast includes Harrison Ford, Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Ted McGinley as well.

In addition to Fox and a previous appearance, Bergen has been featured on “The Conners” and “And Just Like Us,” Season 3 will also welcome Jeff Daniels, Sherry Cola, and Isabella Gomez as new cast members.

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Besides Fox, Bergen has recently appeared on “The Conners” and “And Just Like Us.” Joining the cast for Season 3 are Jeff Daniels, Sherry Cola, and Isabella Gomez, along with Bergen.

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Fox is not the only new face in Season 3; it will also feature Jeff Daniels, Sherry Cola, and Isabella Gomez, while Bergen has recently been seen on “The Conners” and “And Just Like Us.”

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In addition to Fox, three more cast members are joining Season 3: Jeff Daniels, Sherry Cola, and Isabella Gomez. Meanwhile, Bergen has had recent guest spots on “The Conners” and “And Just Like Us.”

Pick the one that you think is clearer and sounds better to a native English speaker. The choice among these options can be subjective, but I’d go with:

“In addition to Fox, three more cast members are joining Season 3: Jeff Daniels, Sherry Cola, and Isabella Gomez. Meanwhile, Bergen has had recent guest spots on “The Conners” and “And Just Like Us.

I’ve been captivated by the insights Lawrence has given regarding his collaborative journey with Fox on “Spin City,” a series he co-created and executive produced alongside Gary David Goldberg during his twenties. After four seasons, Fox left “Spin City” in 2000 due to symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease. Interestingly, Fox made a brief appearance in my NBC sitcom “Scrubs,” portraying a brilliant doctor battling severe OCD across two episodes.

Lawrence shared that he had a mentor and created ‘Spin City’ at the age of 25. Mike Fox was saying lines that Lawrence wrote, but he was so frightened he couldn’t offer suggestions or do other tasks. The tension finally eased when they were performing ‘Spin City’ in front of a live audience in New York, as there was only one live sitcom at the time. It was Michael J Fox’s show. There was a joke Lawrence thought would be hilarious, but Mike said it wasn’t funny. This was the first time Lawrence took a stand. He insisted that he believed it would be funny, Mike disagreed, and Lawrence replied, “I think it’s be funny.” Mike then responded, “Alright, I’ll do it.” The scene with a large audience buzzing with energy began. When they reached the first joke, Mike delivered it, but there was silence. Instead of continuing with the scene, Mike looked at Lawrence and asked, “Are you satisfied now?

Lawrence explained there were two important takeaways. Firstly, the person in question was smiling, indicating that everything was fine, which boosted his confidence. Secondly, this individual was conveying the message that writers don’t necessarily have to suffer embarrassment if their work fails. Lawrence often encourages others to take risks, be brave, and try new things, even if they might not succeed. He added that he appreciates Mike and is happy to see him back on TV. Mike is his hero.

As a movie enthusiast, let me share with you that I recently found myself seated alongside some talented individuals at the Lawrence panel. Among them were Zach Braff, renowned for his work on “Scrubs,” Brett Goldstein, known for both “Shrinking” and “Ted Lasso,” Josh Hopkins, who has graced our screens in shows like “Cougar Town” and “Shrinking,” Phil Dunster, a star from “Ted Lasso,” and Charly Clive. Interestingly, both Dunster and Clive are part of Lawrence’s upcoming HBO series, where Clive plays the daughter of Steve Carell’s character, and Dunster is also featured in that show.

Zach Braff has agreed to be part of Lawrence’s proposed reboot of “Scrubs,” which is currently being developed by ABC. According to Braff, the cast still maintains close friendships. He mentioned that people often perceive these statements as untrue, but in reality, he and Lawrence are true friends. As a matter of fact, Lawrence is currently residing at Braff’s New York apartment. They, along with other members of the cast, are very close. So, when the opportunity to revive the series came up, and ABC, Disney expressed interest, it felt like the perfect moment. The thought of spending another day filled with laughter with this beloved group again was an appealing proposition for Braff.

In addition to his role, Braff is also taking charge as the director for an episode in Lawrence’s HBO show featuring Carell, Dunst, Clive, and John C. McGinley.

Regarding queries about the revival of “Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+, Lawrence referred the question to the creator and star, Jason Sudeikis (who wasn’t in Austin at the time). Lawrence explained, “He is Ted Lasso, but he’s also the soul of the show.” Furthermore, he described Sudeikis as more than a creative partner; rather, he felt like he was hitching a ride on his success.

Goldstein playfully remarked about Lawrence’s slip in Bergen: “Unlike Bill, who frequently violates embargoes, I’m not permitted to speak, as Apple has a sharpshooter on the rooftop watching me. All I can share is that it’s wonderful to be here again with everyone.” (In this version, I tried to keep the original meaning and humor while making the sentence structure more straightforward.)

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2025-06-01 09:47