Twenty-five years after its original premiere, Scrubs is back with everyone’s favorite Sacred Heart doctors and a whole new class of interns who are following in their footsteps. Following episode 107, “My Best Friend’s Barbecue,” I sat down with Layla Mohammadi, who plays surgical intern Dr. Amara Hadi, and Jacob Dudman, who plays medical intern Dr. Asher Green, for an exclusive conversation.
Nerd Reactor: The show has had such a great response from the fans so far this season. Why do you think this was the right moment in time for Scrubs to come back?
Layla Mohammadi: I think this show is so relevant, no matter what time it is. I think everyone needs a good laugh these days, and it has the heart and the humor. And I think Bill Lawrence is having such a moment in television right now, and anything he touches is gold. And it’s just such a fun show to be a part of.
Nerd Reactor: Do either of you have any other favorite shows from that early 2000s time period that you would love to see come back or even be a part of if you got the chance?
Jacob Dudman: I loved Arrested Development. I think that was the first American sitcom that I fell in love with. If you can call it a sitcom, it’s sort of genre-defying, I think. But I always admired it from a distance, thinking I’ll never be in an American sitcom, and here I am. I think the important thing for me was really believing that there’s a reason for it to come back. I think we’ve seen examples over the years of shows that are brought back for the wrong reasons and what really excited me about joining this was that all the original team both in front of and behind the camera were interested in being a part of it, and so I knew that it wasn’t trying to recapture someone else’s magic but actually that these were the people who made it what it was and they care so deeply. You can tell from Zach [Braff] working overtime that he wanted to make sure that it was for the fans, and I think he did a good job.
Nerd Reactor: For this week’s episode, we see the beginning of and maybe the end of a relationship between Amara and Asher. And I’ve heard you all auditioned separately, and then you met when filming started. So, did you know your characters would be getting together, and how did you build that chemistry?
Layla Mohammadi: I actually had no idea when I auditioned. I had no scenes planned that had anything to do with her talking to boys. But I was told the first day on set that I’m going to have this little thing in the hospital. But it was weird. None of us met. We didn’t know how any of the chemistry would be. And I think it’s a testament to Debby Romano that they picked the right people for the jobs who would get along. And I don’t know how they did it, but we all love each other so much and hung out all the time. And I think it helped in the show because we had such a good relationship off the show.
Nerd Reactor: I think that’s one consistent part about Bill Lawrence shows, it creates the feeling of I want to be hanging out with this group of people because you see how warm they are together. What would you say are three words to describe each of your characters?
Layla Mohammadi: Awkward, unpredictable, growing.
Jacob Dudman: It’s interesting you say that, actually, because now I’m reflecting and thinking that Asher and Amara are in some ways quite similar. Because for me, I would say Asher is sweet, squishy, and big-hearted with a hyphen if that counts.
Nerd Reactor: We’re really just only in the early stages of getting to know all of these characters. Do you think to yourself about more of their backstories and invent some of the history of why they are the way that they are?
Layla Mohammadi: Yeah, I think you kind of have to as an actor, especially when, you know, it’s only nine episodes this season, and there are so many characters and so much story to be told. It’s fun to kind of imagine who these people are and come up with different things. And then you get proven wrong when you read an episode, and you kind of discover things as it goes on, like she has an uncle who doesn’t talk much. But I’m excited to see the backstory for all of the characters and what they’re going to come up with, because I’m sure it’s going to be something fun and crazy, knowing the writers of the show.
Nerd Reactor: One of the great things about a medical show is that it leaves so much room for guest appearances. Do either of you have a dream guest star in mind?
Layla Mohammadi: Oh my gosh, Harrison Ford. Harrison Ford.
Jacob Dudman: Yeah, come on, we’ve got to pull that string, surely. That’s my dream. Although I worry I’d be a bit like Troy in Community meeting LeVar Burton. I would just freeze up. I wouldn’t know what to do or say.
Layla Mohammadi: I think I’d be quiet. It’d be the quietest I’ve ever been.
