Seann William Scott Talks Tim Allen, ‘Goon,’ Brad Pitt and ‘Shifting Gears’

From the audacious Stiffler on American Pie to the bumbling stoner in Dude, Where’s My Car?, Seann William Scott is not exactly who you might think of when hearing about a new ABC family sitcom costarring Tim Allen. But in the new comedy series Shifting Gears, Scott will be shifting gears himself, playing a “lovable oddball” shop mechanic named Gabriel on his first-ever multi-camera primetime series. The show centers around a widower and owner of a classic auto restoration shop (Allen) who faces his most challenging repair to date: fixing his relationship with estranged daughter Riley (Kat Dennings), who shows up out of the blue with her children after separating from her husband.

We recently got to sit down with Scott for the inside scoop on this role, and more.

(Disney/Justin Stephens)

What can you tell us about this show and your character?

The show is super-duper funny, with tons of heart. Kat Dennings and Tim Allen are the two leads and they’re just total rock stars. I am absolutely loving working with them.

My character is Gabriel, and he’s a mechanic at the shop that Matt works at. He is very idiosyncratic, a good guy. He kind of worships Matt. He’s known the family for a long time, grew up with Riley’s brother and is also kind of a weirdo. He’s a guy that everyone kinda feels like they know, or went to school with. Just kind of a lovable oddball.

What’s it like behind the scenes? Are you enjoying working with Tim Allen?

Tim Allen is a total legend. He’s hilarious and it’s just surreal every single day. Kat Dennings is also a comedic killer. The whole cast. I love everybody on the show.

(Disney/Mike Taing)

What’s your favorite thing about the show so far?

My favorite thing about the show so far is just how different it is from everything I’ve done. I’ve never done a multi-camera show. It’s a wonderful challenge; just totally, totally different.

Do people still recognize you for American Pie and what is that like for you?

I still get recognized for American Pie from time to time, but I actually get more people come up to me about Goon, the hockey movie.

©Magnet Releasing/courtesy Everett Collection

(c)Universal/courtesy Everett Collection

What is the weirdest job you’ve ever had prior to acting?

The weirdest job I had prior to my first acting gig was working at a science store at Universal CityWalk, and I was selling glow-in-the-dark stars and Bill Nye the Science Guy puzzles, wearing a lab coat.

Have you ever been starstruck, and if so, by whom?

I get starstruck all the time. The biggest starstruck experience was meeting Brad Pitt at an awards show years ago. It was amazing.

What are your favorite TV binge-watch shows from the last few years?

Succession and Severance are the two shows I recently binge-watched and loved, like everybody else.

If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring three movies, what would they be?

The Godfather, Goodfellas and Chopper, the Australian film.

Shifting Gears premiered on Jan. 8, 2025, on ABC; new episodes air Wednesdays.