Zach Braff has spent much of his career making us laugh, cry and occasionally question our life choices, sometimes within the same film or episode of Scrubs. Two decades after Garden State became a defining film for a generation of young adults trying to find their way, and Scrubs helped redefine the sitcom bromance, Braff is back in the hospital as JD, older, wiser and armed with a newfound appreciation for doctors and nurses.
The Scrubs revival, which premiered earlier this year, earned great reviews and reignited fan interest, drawing back longtime viewers while also introducing a new generation to the medical sitcom.
In the revival's second season, now streaming on JioHotstar, Braff's real-life friendship with actor Donald Faison continues to fuel the chaos between JD and Turk, with the lines between their on-screen and real-life friendship growing increasingly blurred after decades of working together.
In this conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Braff talks about growing older with Scrubs, the enduring appeal of Garden State, and the possibility of reuniting with Faison on another film.
He also reflects on how life has changed his understanding of the medical profession and why some stories, much like some friendships, only grow more meaningful with time.
Your friendship with Donald Faison has become almost inseparable from Scrubs, with the relationship between JD and Turk often mirroring your real-life bond. As the revival explores themes of adulthood, ageing and coming to terms with growing up, are there moments when your real-life conversations find their way into the show?
Braff: That happens all the time! The writers are always asking us what we're up to and about funny anecdotes from our lives. We also did a podcast, and the writers have been mining lots of stories from that.
We recently did a storyline about how much Donald... or Turk, rather, loves going to a steak restaurant. There's a whole thing about how excited he is to go out for a steak dinner on his birthday, only to get upset when everyone starts ordering expensive food and wine because he has offered to pay the bill.
That actually happened in real life. (laughs) Donald took the writers out one night and told them he'd pay for the check. They all started ordering expensive wine and meat, and he got upset. They thought it was hilarious and wrote it straight into the script.
Both Donald and I are very similar to our characters, so the writers are always asking us for stories from our lives.
JD and Turk have helped redefine the idea of a bromance on television, inspiring many shows that followed Scrubs. Is there a fictional friendship that you have drawn inspiration from?
Gosh, I don't know. Donald's a Star Wars warrior, so he'd probably say Han (Solo) and Luke (Skywalker). I, unfortunately, can't think of any others right now.
You made Garden State in 2004, a film that has remained an important part of pop-culture for many viewers. A decade later, you made Wish I Was Here, which felt like a spiritual successor and also featured Donald. It's been 12 years since then; have you thought about making a third feature in the same vein?
Hmm, I haven't really thought about it because I've been working so hard on Scrubs that I haven't had much time to write my own stuff. But I'd obviously love to write another movie on the same lines.
Donald always asks if there's a part for him. I didn't put him in my last film, A Good Person... but I might be directing a movie for Warner Bros. next, and you've just made me realise that I need to find a part for Donald in that, or he's going to be very upset.
Medical dramas have found renewed prominence in recent years, particularly after the pandemic; case in point being Scrubs, The Pitt, Grey's Anatomy and so on. Has the global fandom around the genre, and your own experiences with illness and hospitals, changed the way you approach the show today?
I look at it very differently, not just because of the pandemic, but because, in the years since I was a young man playing this part, I've been in hospitals and had to deal with doctors caring for loved ones who got sick or died.
I've had a lot more experience with doctors and nurses being superheroes in my real life. I think I relate to my character totally differently now because, back then, I had barely any experience with worrying about people who were dying or very sick in a hospital.
I came back to it at 51 with a newfound respect. I felt like I was playing a superhero because that's how doctors look to you when someone you love is sick. You're just hoping they can save the day. I approach all the characters now with newfound respect and admiration.
The second season of the Scrubs revival is currently streaming on JioHotstar