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Carla Espinosa has never been one to shy away from speaking her mind, whether she's putting J.D. in his place, challenging Dr. Cox or reminding Turk that marriage requires a little effort. That familiar confidence remains at the heart of Judy Reyes's return to Scrubs, although the years have brought new challenges for a character who's always prided herself on having everything under control. As Carla navigates the realities of growing older, Reyes is finding fresh opportunities to explore her relationships, her humor and the parts of herself she's still learning to embrace.
When the writers asked what she wanted to explore in the returning series, Reyes suggested drawing on her own experience with menopause. Between the hot flashes, exhaustion and occasional forgetfulness, she saw an opportunity to bring a little more reality into a show that's always found humor in life's less glamorous moments.
"It's always been such a hidden thing. And it's such an opportunity for comedy in something like that," Reyes explains.
Naturally, Scrubs takes full advantage of the comedic possibilities. In one of J.D.'s signature fantasies, Carla bursts into flames from a hot flash, a moment that has prompted plenty of recognition from viewers experiencing the same thing. For Reyes, that response is part of what makes the storyline worthwhile. Something that might otherwise be treated as an uncomfortable subject becomes an opportunity for people to laugh at an experience they share.
But there's another side to Carla's changing circumstances that goes beyond the jokes. Having spent years balancing motherhood, marriage and a demanding career as a nurse, she's built much of her identity around being able to handle everything. When J.D. begins reducing her patient load, Carla initially takes it as a challenge to her abilities, only to realize that accepting a little help might not be such a bad thing.
It's a feeling Reyes knows well, particularly when it comes to the pressure women can place on themselves to remain capable and independent. She recognizes how difficult it can be to ask for support when she's accustomed to being the person everyone else relies on.
"To actually lean into that and then understand your worth, that you're worthy of it, is a massive lesson."
That lesson also finds its way into Carla's marriage to Turk, played by Donald Faison. While the two remain one of the show's most dependable couples, their relationship has naturally changed as they've grown older. Carla has spent years being the caretaker, but now Turk has the chance to step into that role himself, something Reyes finds particularly rewarding.
There's a sweetness to the way he tries to show up for her, even when he doesn't necessarily know what he's doing. And as Reyes points out, the effort is often more important than getting everything right.
"It's not the big trip to Hawaii, but the fact that you did clean the toilet," she jokes, reflecting on how much the smallest gestures can mean in a long-term relationship.
The couple's new challenges aren't necessarily about questioning their future together. Instead, they're learning how to communicate as the people they've become, rather than the people they were when they first fell in love. Even a solid marriage requires adjustments, and Reyes appreciates that the writers allow Carla and Turk to confront those frustrations without undermining their relationship.
"It's not about getting old. It's about growing old, right? When you grow old together, you're becoming these different people."
It's a perspective that Reyes and Faison can both relate to. Having known each other for so many years, the actors have developed a friendship that extends beyond their time on set. They frequently exchange stories about their own marriages, children and the everyday realities of keeping a relationship going, which naturally find their way into Carla and Turk's interactions.
That familiarity has always been an important part of how Reyes approaches Carla. When she first joined Scrubs, she wasn't entirely sure how to navigate the show's particular brand of comedy. Coming from a dramatic background, she found herself more comfortable with the serious moments than the elaborate fantasies and improvisation that made the series so distinctive.
Rather than trying to force the humor, Reyes drew inspiration from the women she knew growing up. As one of four sisters, she understood Carla's instinct to look after everyone, and she brought that same strength and straightforwardness into the character.
"I just made her as close to the women I know as possible," she recalls.
It turned out to be exactly what the show needed. While J.D. and Turk were busy getting caught up in their latest ridiculous schemes, Carla could be the person reacting to the chaos around her. Her humor came from taking everything seriously, even when the situation was anything but.
Still, Reyes admits that she occasionally felt frustrated watching her castmates get the bigger comedic moments. She wanted to participate in the jokes and fantasies too, but when creator Bill Lawrence encouraged her to improvise, she discovered that taking those risks was easier said than done.
Over time, she began to understand that comedy didn't necessarily require abandoning the qualities that made Carla work. It was about becoming more comfortable experimenting and accepting that not every attempt would land.
"I learned to ask for it, to try it, to risk failing it. If it's not funny, it's not funny."
That willingness to speak up also shaped Carla's identity in other ways. Reyes remembers having to clarify the character's Dominican heritage after early scripts occasionally referred to her as Mexican. What began as a simple effort to make sure she was portraying the character authentically eventually became a recurring joke, culminating in Carla's memorable declaration of her Dominican identity in Scrubs: The Musical.
For Reyes, it's an example of the collaborative environment that has always made the series special. The writers were receptive to what the actors brought to their characters, and that same openness has continued into the returning series, allowing her to contribute ideas that reflect both her own experiences and the years Carla has spent at Sacred Heart.
Of course, stepping back into that world has been an experience in itself. The original hospital where Scrubs was filmed no longer exists, having since been replaced by condominiums. Instead, the production recreated Sacred Heart on soundstages, carefully rebuilding the familiar hallways and rooms with Zach Braff helping ensure that everything looked as it should.
"The whole thing is exactly as you left it, but it is in this space that you're unfamiliar with," Reyes says of the surreal experience.
Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, the returning cast quickly found their old rhythm. Reyes credits the show's lively atmosphere, where everyone is constantly trying to make someone laugh, as part of what makes working on Scrubs so enjoyable. Even the moments between takes become opportunities for a joke, a reaction or an unexpected bit of improvisation.
There's also the pleasure of revisiting relationships that have developed over so many years, including Carla's dynamic with Dr. Cox, played by John C. McGinley.
Unlike J.D., who has spent much of the series trying to earn Dr. Cox's approval, Carla has never been particularly intimidated by him. Their mutual respect has allowed them to develop a relationship in which neither feels the need to prove themselves to the other.
When Dr. Cox returns to Sacred Heart as a patient, Reyes was eager to explore what that history might look like under very different circumstances. She specifically wanted a scene between the two characters that would allow Dr. Cox to be honest about his health in a way he might not be comfortable doing with anyone else.
"He's able to be vulnerable with Carla," she explains, recognizing that their trust has always worked both ways.
It's one of several storylines that allow the characters to confront the realities of growing older. From Turk's burnout to the changes in J.D. and Elliot's relationship, the people around Carla are navigating their own challenges, giving her new reasons to reflect on her life and what she wants from it.
For Reyes, those changes have also brought a welcome shift in how she approaches her performance. Where she once worried about how to make a scene funny, she's now more interested in what she can discover within the material. The confidence she's gained over the years has made it easier to trust her instincts and embrace the unexpected.
"I see the opportunity in it instead of the responsibility."
It's an outlook that extends beyond Scrubs. Between her work on High Potential, Secrets of Mercy Hospital and the projects she's developing herself, Reyes is enjoying the chance to explore different kinds of characters and stories. Among those projects is Freestyle, inspired by the Bronx music scene, alongside her efforts to support a Latina women's soccer team she co-owns with her husband.
Having grown up imagining herself in everything from musicals to dramatic films, Reyes sees this period of her career as a chance to pursue the variety of work she's always wanted to do, particularly stories that reflect experiences she feels haven't been represented enough.
"I'm at this stage, I'm more ready than I've ever been to continue to live up to that challenge," she says.
It's a particularly rewarding position for Reyes, who now finds herself not only taking on the kinds of roles she once dreamed about, but helping bring stories to life that might otherwise go untold.
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