John McEnroe has donned many hats after retirement. One of the more surprising gigs he took on in recent years was providing narration and voiceover for the hit Netflix series Never Have I Ever. He once revealed when and how the idea of becoming a narrator was sowed in his mind.
In 2021, McEnroe appeared on the television show Today and spoke about his role in Never Have I Ever. He said he first thought of taking up such voiceover jobs in his 20s. Back in the 1980s, the American disguised himself to visit a store in New York without fans recognising him. However, his voice gave him away as someone recognised it was the seven-time Grand Slam winner just by hearing him.
McEnroe said he realised he had a ‘unique voice’ and could pursue narration work. Then, in 2019, he crossed paths with The Office actress Mindy Kaling, the creator of Never Have I Ever. The meeting was not planned, but Kaling was thrilled to see him and pitched her idea of getting him onboard as narrator.
“I have a somewhat unique voice, maybe I could (do voice-over work). Thirty years later, fast forward, I met Mindy Kaling at a Vanity Fair Oscar party. I’m going in to take a photo, she’s coming out, she goes, ‘Oh, my God, I have this idea that you’d be the narrator of a show I’m making for Netflix.”
John McEnroe admitted he was sceptical of the proposal working out. However, the deal went through and he got the part. The retired World No.1 said it was surreal to narrate for an Indian-American teenage girl, saying he initially could not believe he got the role.
“And I’m like, ‘Yeah right. The check’s in the mail.’ … Nine out of 10 things don’t happen, but it actually did happen, and actually, God forbid I’m the narrator for a young high school girl, Indian American girl trying to deal with growing up, and I’m sort of like her alter ego, her uncle. And I’m thinking, ‘How the hell did I get this?’ I’m wondering the same thing, but I believe in a weird way, it’s worked.”
Never Have I Ever follows Devi Vishwakumar, an Indian-American teenager portrayed by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. McEnroe is the narrator of the series for all four seasons and is shown to be the idol of Devi’s deceased father. He also makes a cameo in Season 1.
John McEnroe has appeared as himself in multiple popular shows and movies
McEnroe was one of the most popular and successful tennis players of his era. His maverick nature ensured a high entertainment factor for all his matches and he drew large crowds. Hence, producers have frequently sought him to cameo in their productions. His first credited appearance came in the 1979 movie Players. He played himself in the movie about a young and promising tennis player who falls in love with an older, married woman.
After his Hollywood debut, John McEnroe did not take up any other roles until after his retirement. He returned in front of the camera with a cameo as himself in the sitcom Arliss in 1996. His first voice-only role came in 1998 when he played a radio show caller named Patrick in the famous TV show Frasier. This would be the only time he did not play himself in a production.
He appeared in multiple Adam Sandler movies like Mr Deeds, Jack and Jill, You Don’t Mess With The Zohan and Anger Management. Other frequent collaborators are 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live. However, his next project after Never Have I Ever is not known.
