Interview / Bri Ng Schwartz
Photographer / Dax Henry
Styling / Bri Ilarda
Grooming / Nicole Servin
Actor David Gridley has kicked off 2026 with a bang, joining a powerhouse packed ensemble in the Scrubs reboot. The revamped series brings back original cast Zach Braff (J.D.), Donald Faison (Turk), Sarah Chalke (Elliot), John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox), and Judy Reyes (Carla) along with a new class of doctors featuring familiar faces Vanessa Bayer (Sibby) and Joel Kim Booster (Dr. Eric Park) with Gridley as Blake Lewis, a tough personality on the hospital floor.
With over a decade of being a working actor under his belt, Gridley has developed a keen sense for what goes into creating a character with layers in both TV and Film. We discuss his Scrubs journey, where his love for sitcoms originated as well as lessons learned being in the industry for over a decade.
Top, Brunello Cucinelli. Bottom, Alexander McQueen.
What has it been like to step into such an iconic franchise?
It has been a whirlwind. I think I’m just now processing how massive this is and what an impact it has and has had before. My head hasn’t stopped spinning since the booking.
What can you share about your character, Blake Lewis?
He’s a very alpha male type. He’s not one to ask for help or really buddy up with the other interns because he thinks he can do it all himself and doesn’t have a lot of patience for incompetence. So he’s a bit of a tough personality to deal with.
Could you share more about the place you go as an actor when playing a character like that?
He does have reasons why he is cocky, arrogant, cold, and it’s all defense mechanisms. His past traumas he’s been through as a sort of walls and barriers he’s put up to protect himself. I could pull a lot of those defense mechanisms from myself.
As far as the outer confidence, I mean, it’s fun to play, but I don’t operate like that. It’s been fun to discover that and be challenged by it.
It’s such an ensemble-driven show. Not only with that original cast, but the new cast you’re coming up with. It’s an insane roster. Do you have any memorable moments from working alongside those folks?
The first time we all got together and we heard the lines read by them and just watching it all happen was a very iconic moment. Just seeing Zach, Donald and Sarah do their thing while you’re in the scene with them, it’s mind-blowing.
They’re so gracious and so inviting. We never felt like outsiders or felt like the new kids. They instantly invited us into the family, and that really made it easy for all of the newcomers to create with them.
What do you think it is about this franchise that resonates with viewers enough to bring it back?
A lot of the fans are hitting on it in the comments. They say it feels like a warm hug or like being embraced by someone familiar. I think especially now with all the hard stuff going on, the familiarity, something they know will make them laugh and feel something.
It’s got the heart, it’s got the comedy, and the writers really made this love bomb for the viewers. You get so attached to it. The watchability is so great. You can just rip through episodes so fast. It feels like the characters are in your life; you’re really growing with them.
What sitcoms did you grow up watching?
Oh man, I grew up watching Family Matters. I also watched Fresh Prince, of course. What was the one before school? Saved by the Bell. Boy Meets World was massive.
Fresh Prince, Boy Meets World, Saved By The Bell. They have all had reboots. There’s been talks of a Family Matters reboot on and off for years. There’s a real desire for nostalgic media right now. How do you feel about it from an actor’s perspective?
With me, and I think a lot of viewers are like “Oh man, a reboot. They’re bringing it back. They’ll never be able to capture the original.” But I think what’s been so cool about Scrubs is it hasn’t been this regurgitated version of it. It really is a revival picking up where these characters are now. It’s familiar, but it’s this new energy with the heart still attached.
You’ve been in the industry for over a decade now. What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as a working actor?
The job can’t be your identity. The minute you start developing pride and an ego with acting, you’ll get humbled so quickly. I love it because it challenges you, it keeps you accountable, and it keeps you present. You’re always on your toes, which is also super stressful. Having kids adds another layer to it. I love the randomness of going to a different city or country for a job, but then you have kids and it’s harder to navigate.
I’ve learned to just be thankful and to be present with every job. A lot of actors will be on something and be like, “Oh, what’s the next thing? What’s the next thing?” And I think throughout the years I’ve really learned to really love the job you’re on and really enjoy it. That’s what’s been so great about Scrubs. It’s checked off every dream that I’ve won. Half hour, single cam comedy on a network and network gigs are hard now. So it’s a dream job. So now it’s hard too because you have these ebbs and flows. That’s something I’ve learned too, if you get these high octane dopamine rushes of working, being on set, doing these things straight to just unemployment. And you get depression every time I do at least a few weeks of depression after a gig, but just realizing everything’s seasonal and things come in seasons and it’s a brutal industry.
I have months of interviewing somebody every day, and then months where I don’t even know if I can call myself a writer because I’m not working on anything.
Totally. It’s brutal. What’s cool about it is, you’re always attuned to where you’re at. It challenges you to deal with those dark thoughts and find out who you really are, your grit and the perseverance you have. Are you a competitive person?
I like to say no, but I think in certain environments I am.
You got to be. I feel like working in the industry, you have to have a competitive edge.
As I’m getting older, I remind myself that everybody’s path is super unique. Everybody’s just trying to do their own thing.
That’s massive. What’s yours is yours. You hear that growing up and when you’re struggling, you feel like nothing is yours, but you can’t compete with others. You compete with yourself.
As an actor, do you struggle with the typecasting of it all? Walking into audition rooms and you see five other guys who look just like you?
Oh yeah. It is such a mental game. My wife has been pivotal. I don’t think I’d be acting still if it wasn’t for her. We’ve been together since high school, so she’s been on the whole journey as and has been a real advocate and cheerleader for me. You’ve got to have that support to do this.
On the topic of family, what would you say to your kid if they told you they wanted to be an actor?
I’ve seen other families navigate this. It probably will come up because he seems very interested as a four-year-old. It’s really a balance of the parents and the kids. Can you do it in a healthy way? I guess we’ll have to cross the bridge when it comes, but I certainly wouldn’t want to squash the dream.
What do you think makes a good sitcom?
There’s so much. Pace, jokes within a scene, the music’s got to be right, editing has to be so good, and the characters have got to be iconic. It takes an entire village.
Top, Rag & Bone. Bottom, COS.
Top, Helmut Lang. Sunglasses, Ray-Ban. Watch, Casio.
You can catch David Gridley as Blake on Scrubs, now streaming on Hulu and Disney+
CONNECT WITH DAVID GRIDLEY
INSTAGRAM // IMBb
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