Judy Reyes Says Returning to “Scrubs” Set for Reboot Felt Like 'a Warm Blanket’ 15 Years After Show Ended (Exclusive)

Tereza Shkurtaj, Scott HuverSun, March 1, 2026 at 8:00 PM UTC

0

Judy Reyes.Credit: Disney/Frank Micelotta -

On Feb. 23, 2026, Judy Reyes attended the Los Angeles premiere of the Scrubs revival series

Season 1 will feature returning faces like Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke, as well as new cast members like Joel Kim Booster and David Gridley

Despite new additions to the show, Reyes admits returning to the set felt like "a warm blanket"

When Judy Reyes first stepped back onto the set of Scrubs, it wasn’t just a return to a job; it was a return to a feeling.

Twenty-five years after the beloved comedy debuted on NBC in 2001, the series has been revived for a new chapter, bringing familiar faces back to Sacred Heart Hospital.

At the Los Angeles premiere of the reboot on Feb. 23, 2026, Reyes reflected on the emotional full-circle moment of stepping back on set 15 years after the show ended.

“We started with a table meeting, a formal in-person table [reading] here in L.A., and it was such a triumph, number one,” Reyes tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Number two: we walked back into a set that was completely rebuilt, right? Because we shot in an abandoned hospital, and it was surreal to be there, but it was kind of like a little bit of a warm blanket.”

Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke and Judy Reyes.Credit: Disney/Jeff Weddell

The original series was primarily shot at the North Hollywood Medical Center, a decommissioned hospital, which was torn down in 2011, so producers had to build a near-identical set for the 2026 revival. Still, Reyes notes that they nailed it, bringing her right back into the world of Sacred Heart Hospital.

That comfort didn’t fade once cameras started rolling. For Reyes, slipping back into Carla Espinosa’s shoes felt natural, almost effortless. The humor and the easy back-and-forth among the cast quickly clicked into place again, as if no time had passed. The set may have been reconstructed, but the spirit of it felt untouched.

“Working with everybody is kind of like, I never left,” she tells PEOPLE. “It kind of set the tone for me, for my work relationships, my jobs after, the kind of real, authentic communicative relationship that you have with people on set."

Advertisement

Clearly, the sense of connection didn’t disappear when the original run ended in 2010. Reyes says she stayed in close contact with many of her castmates, crew members and writers over the years. “The beauty of who we are is we pick up where we left off,” she admits.

— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes and Donald Faison.

While returning to the show feels meaningful, Reyes describes her career beyond Scrubs as “amazing.” She has continued to work steadily across film and television, in shows like Devious Maids and High Potential. Still, she’s thankful for the show that opened doors she might not have otherwise walked through.

“Without Scrubs, I wouldn't have the work that I've gotten. I think as an actor coming from the theater in New York City, you keep it moving. So they weren't necessarily hanging our hat to the Scrubs star,” Reyes explains. “I had nothing to compare it to, and I was just able to be considered just by virtue of having had that job. And what I learned, what I got from that job, I wasn't able to appreciate until years later because it was my first job.”

Now, with the revival blending original cast members like Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke, and new faces like Joel Kim Booster and David Gridley, Reyes is embracing the rare chance to revisit her defining role.

“It felt like yesterday,” Reyes tells PEOPLE. “But I am honored to be here all these years later and doing it again. I mean, who else gets that chance?”

The Scrubs reboot premiered on Feb. 25, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, with new episodes coming out weekly.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”