When it comes to The Rookie actors, there are some surprising facts, including Eric Winter. One of the most surprising has to be his college plans, which could have made for an interesting long-term character on The Good Doctor.
Winter was on the seven-season medical drama from ABC, but only for two episodes. Granted, if he had remained in The Good Doctor, he wouldn’t have ended up becoming a series regular in The Rookie cast, and the cop dramedy is the one that’s still going strong, gearing up for The Rookie season 8.
This doesn’t stop us from wondering what could have been had plans worked out differently on the two ABC shows. Winter could have used some personal knowledge to help flesh out his Good Doctor character, which is something nobody else on medical dramas can claim. Well, except for BokHee on Grey’s Anatomy.
The Rookie’s Eric Winter Was A Pre-Med Student Before Becoming An Actor
Eric Winter Didn’t Always Plan On Acting
When talking to The Bare Magazine, Winter explained that he wanted to be a doctor when growing up, and he was even a pre-med student at college, graduating with a degree in psychology from UCLA. It adds a new layer to his character when you consider the doctors that he has played.
In fact, he explained that because of his previous dream, Winter connected a lot with his character in the movie The Ugly Truth. His stint on The Good Doctor didn’t come up in conversation, but it is one that those of us who have followed Winter’s career will remember well.
That’s a tough one but probably my character in The Ugly Truth. I wanted to be a doctor when I was younger and was a pre-med student going down that path before I got into acting. My character was a doctor, and he was a nice guy.
It’s even worth noting that he played a doctor in The Witches of East End, which also starred Jenna Dewan. Winter played doctors so much that he teases his family when they bring up his past dreams, saying that he is a doctor now (via Hello Magazine).
Winter Had A 2-Episode Arc As A Doctor On The Good Doctor
Eric Winter Could Have Starred On A Different ABC Series
Winter played Dr. Matt Coyle in The Good Doctor for just two episodes, and while we wanted to like him, it was clear that he wasn’t a character worth keeping around. Coyle would routinely make sexual advances towards his subordinates, and he turned his attention to Claire Browne.
Coyle’s role in the series was something to help further the storylines of other characters, including Claire and Jared Kalu. In the end, Coyle was transferred to a department where he wouldn’t have any interaction with staff or patients, showing the problems with getting evidence of sexual harassment in the workplace.
However, with a short stint on The Good Doctor, it meant that Winter was available to play Tim Bradford in The Rookie, and I wouldn’t have that any other way.
While his character wasn’t someone viewers could easily like, it would have been interesting to see how Winter would have continued in the role of a doctor. He already had the medical knowledge to help make his character more believable.
However, with a short stint on The Good Doctor, it meant that Winter was available to play Tim Bradford in The Rookie, and I wouldn’t have that any other way. He quickly proved that he can play both good and bad characters.
