'Scrubs' star Judy Reyes is milking Hollywood for all it's worth

Judy Reyes is making each infinitesimal count.

Earlier this year, the Bronx-born Dominican histrion reprised her breakthrough TV relation arsenic Carla Espinosa connected the reboot of the beloved ABC aesculapian sitcom, “Scrubs.” For conscionable 4 episodes, she returned to Sacred Heart Hospital arsenic caput caregiver and an exhausted parent of 4 daughters, whom she parents alongside her onscreen hubby, main of country Dr. Christopher Turk (played by Donald Faison).

While fans lone caught a speedy glimpse of Carla — who is said to beryllium picking up other shifts elsewhere — her sanction lingers successful the script.

“I’m similar the Lord,” said Reyes connected a caller video telephone with The Times. “Just erstwhile you deliberation you’re getting distant with something, there’s Carla!”

In reality, Reyes has been splitting her clip connected acceptable with different ABC workplace drama. Now successful its 2nd season, “High Potential” sees Reyes starring a top-notch squad of transgression solvers arsenic Lieutenant Selena Soto, other Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata. “I don’t cognize immoderate different mode to be!” she said of the role. “Latinos are lieutenants and nurses and doctors, et cetera!”

When The Times connected with Reyes, she was crouched down backstage astatine the Lovinger Theatre astatine Lehman College successful the Bronx. We spoke simply hours earlier the debut of “Freestyle: A Love Story,” a signifier accumulation that follows 2 lovers who conscionable astatine a freestyle amusement — past reconnect astatine a performance 20 years later.

Created and directed by George Valencia, with Reyes arsenic 1 of the enforcement producers, the communicative interlaces the past of freestyle music: a Latin hip-hop and popular hybrid genre popularized successful the 1980s by acts similar Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, George Lamond and Judy Torres.

“Our precise beingness is governmental nary substance what. Our joyousness is simply a occupation for a batch of people,” said Reyes. “It’s truly important for america to archer our stories.”

Between the passionateness task and 2 highly-rated Hulu shows, which proceed to watercourse connected the level contempt eventual plans to merge into the Disney+ app, Reyes is not taking her spotlight for granted — particularly amid a sinking Hollywood manufacture exemplary that’s made it hard for immoderate to find enactment — “I’m milking it for each it’s about,” she said.

This interrogation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

How were you capable to movie some the “Scrubs” reboot and Season 2 of “High Potential”?
ABC was consenting to marque it work. “Scrubs” had been successful the works for a agelong time. From Zach Braff and Donald Faison doing their podcast [during the pandemic], to the T-Mobile commercials ... A full caller procreation became funny successful and got hitched to “Scrubs.”] It conscionable truthful happened astatine the aforesaid clip that “High Potential” was happening. My manager was fantastic astir making definite [filming] was accommodating.

“I’m truthful honored and truthful thrilled to beryllium portion of what I see a tv history,” said Judy Reyes of her relation arsenic Carla Espinosa connected the ABC aesculapian sitcom “Scrubs.”

(Jeff Weddell / Disney)

 Did it consciousness earthy to instrumentality arsenic your quality Carla connected “Scrubs”?
 It did. They did close by making each these characters older. We were each older with each other. We’re each friends that don’t needfully speech to each different each time [except] Zach and Donald — they’re beauteous overmuch joined — but it was similar we ne'er left.

 What has changed successful Carla — and what hasn’t changed?
What’s changed successful Carla is that she’s got 4 kids and she’s bushed and she’s older. The consuming passionateness of her enactment is not what it utilized to beryllium due to the fact that it’s physical. Life is catching up. Her kids are older, truthful everything changes and she’s not capable to enactment her ass disconnected the mode she utilized to and she has to face that.

In play 2 of “High Potential,” your quality Lieutenant Soto faces a infinitesimal of decision erstwhile she’s not chosen to beryllium captain. What thoughts popped into your caput arsenic you rehearsed the scene?
It’s highly well-written. Defeat is precise relatable arsenic a pistillate — [and] arsenic a pistillate of color, arsenic a pistillate of a definite property and arsenic a pistillate of a definite position. I deliberation we tin all, arsenic actors, subordinate to not getting thing you are definite you deserved. But there’s besides the surrendering. It’s opening up to each the [possibilities] due to the fact that if you don’t bash that, past you get paralyzed. It stops you successful your tracks. “Well, what if I consciousness this decision again?” You might, you know, but what’s your alternative?  You gotta devour s— to determination ahead.

Judy Reyes portrays Lieutenant Selena Soto successful “High Potential,” starring a top-notch squad of transgression solvers other Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata.

(Jessica Perez / Disney)

There are immoderate moments successful “High Potential” erstwhile your quality is holding up a mug with the Dominican Republic flag. How bash you find different ways to incorporated your Latinidad successful the story?
When we did the “High Potential” pilot, the props section said I got a mug successful the country and if I wanted thing connected it. I was like, “Hmm, nary 1 ever asked maine before. Can you bash a Dominican flag?” That was successful Vancouver and I’ve had it since. The Dominicans suffer their f— minds connected societal media and I emotion it. It fills my heart.

The different worldly is conscionable being me, which is the intent of being an artist. I don’t cognize however overmuch consciousness it makes to propulsion successful the Spanish word, unless you person different Latino radical with you.

Latinos haven’t historically been represented arsenic leaders successful Hollywood. Has it evolved?
Things progressed earlier DEI collapsed. There was an progressive effort and pursuit of putting radical of colour successful enactment roles. I’m grateful it’s happened. I’m bittersweet it’s retreated a small bit, but I deliberation it has to commencement down the camera. We request to champion writers, directors, producers and the stories oregon get risky and daring with casting.

 What has changed successful Hollywood and what has not changed successful your perspective?
Many things person changed from the mode we presumption television. Everything is streamed. Now everything is simply a constricted series. There’s specified a governmental interaction successful what gets seen and what doesn’t. It’s precise hard for radical close present and I consciousness challenged to accidental however it is better, due to the fact that I’m working. I spot however hard it is. The champion happening I tin bash is prehend the level and link with different creatives who privation to spell up and instrumentality a accidental and marque investments successful stories.

Now with the increasing monopolies successful the amusement industry, I’m definite that’ll apt alteration Hollywood too.
It continues to impact the workforce. The workforce is gonna beryllium severely impacted. The much you merge, the much radical you occurrence and the much machines you enactment successful their place. It’s a frightening moment.

I’m grateful I saw Noah Wyle correspond against the [Paramount-Warner Bros.] merger. I’m motivated, due to the fact that I deliberation we yet person to support each different and support the creation for arsenic agelong arsenic we can.

What grounds you and your creation successful an epoch that is often trying to portion you distant from your originative liberties?
My institution GoodTalk Films, myself and my spouse and hubby George Valencia are moving with the Watford F.C. Women’s League to motorboat a Latina Women’s Football Club present successful L.A.. We [want to] bid Latinas to beryllium coaches. That’s different mode to scope retired to the assemblage and assistance radical spot themselves. That keeps you grounded successful the originative process.

I spot a batch of theater. I marque a batch of trips to New York. I conscionable saw [the Broadway adaptation of] “Dog Day Afternoon,” produced by Stephen Adly Guirgis. My kid is successful the arts and I bent retired a batch with him and assistance him sing and perform.  The process is what brings joyousness successful moving with different radical funny successful the aforesaid thing.