John Goodman admitted he was “frightened” by the fame that accompanied his breakout role in the hit sitcom “Roseanne.” Speaking during a candid conversation with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, the 74-year-old actor reflected on the challenges of sudden celebrity and the pitfalls he now wishes he had anticipated. “I wish I would have taken to it better,” he said. “I didn’t. I was frightened … I’m my own worst enemy, by far.”
Goodman’s rise to prominence began in the late 1980s, a period when he transitioned from a more independent acting style to one characterized by widespread recognition. “It changed,” he explained, noting that he was advised to hire a publicist to manage his newfound fame. The adjustment, however, was overwhelming. Goodman stated, “I had a bad time dealing with how famous I got all of a sudden, and just [said], ‘Well, that ain’t me.’”
The actor described the difficult negotiations and promotional duties that come with Hollywood stardom. “The things you have to do to sell a film, they’re not ideal, but they need to be done,” he said. “People put a lot of money into these things, and let’s help each other out and get this done. They have a job to do, and you have to support it.”
Goodman’s career took off with “Roseanne,” which aired on ABC from 1988 to 1997, producing 222 episodes and winning four Emmy Awards. “At the time, the hot shows in television were all wealth porn, like ‘Dynasty,’ ‘Dallas,’ stuff like that. And we were sober reality,” he noted. His chemistry with Roseanne Barr was immediate. “I hit it off with [Roseanne Barr] immediately, to the point where, and not in an arrogant way, I just knew when I left that I had the job,” he recalled.
Goodman agreed to star in “Roseanne” to escape a transient lifestyle. The show resonated with audiences for its authentic portrayal of a working-class family, emphasizing that “just because we’re poor doesn’t make us stupid.” The family’s bond, depicted through humor and love, became a hallmark of the series.
After the original series concluded, Goodman continued to find success in films like “The Flintstones,” “The Big Lebowski,” and “Monsters, Inc.” He reprised his role as Dan Conner in the 2018 reboot of “Roseanne,” but the revival faced backlash when Barr made a racist remark about Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to President Obama. Following Barr's dismissal, ABC announced the show would continue without her under the title “The Conners,” which ran for 112 episodes until 2025.
Goodman expressed surprise at the reboot's initial success. “I didn’t think [the ‘Roseanne’ reboot] was going to go beyond the initial five or six episodes. I thought it’d be a one-off thing, and then we got picked up, and Roseanne got fired,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2025. He quickly pivoted to “The Righteous Gemstones,” reflecting on the unpredictability of the television landscape. “I didn’t know how long it would last, but I sure enjoyed it while I was there.”
Despite their past collaboration, Goodman and Barr have not spoken for “about seven or eight years” as of 2025. He remarked, “I’d rather doubt if she wants to talk to me.” In March 2025, Barr expressed feelings of betrayal during an episode of her podcast, claiming Goodman wanted to reduce his presence on “Roseanne” in the later seasons. “I think they said he’ll do six of the 24 or something like that,” she said, highlighting the strain in their professional relationship.
Goodman’s reflections underscore a complex relationship with fame, one marked by both success and personal turmoil. His journey illustrates the challenges many actors face in balancing public perception with personal identity, especially after a role that leaves an indelible mark on their careers.
According to NY POST.
