Zach Braff Returns episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 16, 2026 · 2H 8M

Zach Braff Returns

from Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Zach Braff (Scrubs, Garden State, Bad Monkey) is an actor, writer, and director. Zach joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his storied doppelgänger switcheroo, coming up with a special camera rig to shoot the game play scenes in Ted Lasso, and the responsibility he feels directing seasoned actors. Zach and Dax talk about how exciting it was for both of them to play rare dramatic roles in Bad Monkey, his belief that longevity in show business is dependent on how you ride the wave, and the fun of returning to direct the first episode of the Scrubs revival 25 years after it first aired. Zach explains how his confidence in his looks and skills as an actor have evolved across his career, surprising results from his year without beer, and navigating romance and relationships at 50.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Head to turbotax.com to find a store location near you and get matched with a TurboTax expert — with real-time updates in the iOS app.This episode is sponsored by AppleTV. Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/mr2caw2cSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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TRANSCRIPT · AUTO-GENERATED

Welcome, welcome, welcome to our chair expert. I'm Dan Shepherd and I'm joined by Lily Padman. Hi. Do you want to talk to people about the housewarming card that Lincoln got you?

Of course I do. She just brought it up on her bike ride. I did think it was. Yes, it was the sweetest thing.

She got me a card. She had it for like a year, which is so sweet. And she was holding it. The card itself says something like congrats on your new pad.

Yeah, yeah. And it has a frog on Lily. A Lily pad. And she added the Lily.

She added Lily before pad. Yeah, yeah. Very cute. And she was explaining it to me on the bike ride.

She's like, you know, because her middle name is Lily. No, I say her name several times a week. And then Padman is like pad. So Lily pad.

Yeah. She also added man to the end. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very cute.

Very, very sweet. Today we have returning doppelganger. It's double ganger month. Zach Braff is an actor and a filmmaker.

Scrubs, Garden State, a good person. Chicken Little, which I was here. And the reboot of Scrubs, which is a good show. It's a great show.

It's a great show. Monica's back. I'm back in. Having nostalgic feelings.

It is on Wednesday nights on ABC and then airs on Hulu. Please enjoy Zach Braff. This episode of Armchair Expert is presented by Apple TV, the new US home of Formula One. Starting March 7th, you can watch complete all excess live coverage of every Grand Prix, including practice, qualifying and sprints all in one place.

Watch Every Race Live only on Apple TV. This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. I feel like Spring always does this thing where you realize you've been thinking about something for a long time. And suddenly it feels like, OK, maybe I actually do something with it.

Totally. It's less pressure, but more like readiness. Yeah, like you've been sitting on an idea or a project or even just a perspective you care about. And now you're like, maybe this deserves to exist somewhere outside of my own head.

And maybe mental health awareness month. There's already this broader conversation happening. People are more open, more curious, more willing to engage. Which is where something like Squarespace comes in.

It makes that jump from idea to actual thing feel way less overwhelming. You can build a site that looks good, works well, and actually reflects what you're trying to put out there. And it's not just hypothetical. Wabi Wab literally used Squarespace to build our site.

Yeah, and Wabi Wab is not trying to spend 40 hours figuring out web design. It just worked. Which is kind of a point. So if you've been sitting on something and waiting for the right moment, this might be it.

Head to squarespace.com slash DAX for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use offer code DAX to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. We are supported by Airbnb. If you've ever traveled kids or with extended family, you know how much difference a little extra space can make.

Everyone's on different schedules. You want room to actually relax without disrupting anyone. That's where Airbnb really makes a difference. Giving you the space you actually need.

Having separate bedrooms, a real kitchen, a common area where everyone can spread out, it just takes the pressure off. We were up in Toronto and we opted for an Airbnb over a hotel. What I love about it is everyone can be on their own sleeping schedule. That is nice.

You're not required to wake up when the earliest riser gets up. Not for me. I always start by checking out guest favorites. But they're the most loved homes on the platform, consistently highly rated by guests.

Some trips really do feel better when you have the right space. He's an alternative. Oh, I hear you. I had a hunch you would wear a sweater so I had to go.

I told you guys that. I told you guys that. Good to see you. I haven't seen you guys since I went to the car.

I don't waste it, but you didn't have a hedge when I was your last. Oh god, no. It was April of 2018, which is crazy because don't you feel like we interviewed him much deeper into the show? I can't believe we've been here once.

And we were joking about how it was smart of you to put down the hedges early because it was going to be a while. Oh, yeah. I'll bet you were like, I had the idea that we would just start the hedges right at the top and say, you know, $700. I could have gotten the 10 gallons of 15.

I remember you saying that you were like, you know what? I'm going to get the smaller one. ROI. Well, April, that means 2018, which is only three months in.

Wow. I think I've registered that whole thing as like you were going off to do a TV show about podcasting. That's what you were promoting. Was that promoting that?

Yes. So the fact that there was already a show being made about podcasting. It was right at the top of things. It was based on startup.

There was a podcast about a guy who was starting up a business. And the business happened to be podcasts. Yes. It's based on a real story.

It's a story of Gimmler, or one of those. Exactly. Right? Yeah.

I can't believe I just remembered it. It's a very good memory. It's a very good memory. Podcasting was sort of new.

Yeah. When you were at the forefront, I mean, Mark Marin was before you. I think Chris Hardwick. And a Pharise.

Yeah. And a Pharise. And of course, Rogan. There were already some Titans.

But you really took off. A lot has happened since I saw you. Yeah. What happened?

A lot has happened. Look at this place. It's so fancy. I know.

It was upstairs. There was no curtain on the bathroom door. Do you remember that? No, we didn't have a door.

We didn't have a door. It wasn't even the structure. Everyone had to look away with someone pee. That's right.

We'll step out. We're stepped out if you're being respectful. OK, so do you have the same fascination as I do with watching us age? Like, sincerely, you and me.

You and I. I'm just thinking. I'm monitoring you more than anyone else in the world. I know, but you're really fit.

So it's hard on me because I go, wow, that's what I would look like if I was ripped. And I see you sometimes and you're really looking good. You're keeping it tight. And I go, OK, well, I should go to the gym.

And then I go to the gym. And then I get into much shape. This whole exact thing is going to be even worse. I know, though, maybe we ride out on a whole new wave of it.

So at both times, I'm like, yeah, you and I definitely look a lot more similar when we were younger. Yeah, I think so too. And also, I'm shocked with how different I look. I watch a parent who has my kids.

And I'm like, I look so different. It's crazy. You do still. I don't know how often it comes up in your life.

But it comes up in my life once a week, at least. I think you're out in the world a little more than me because I work in the backyard. Right. You don't leave your property.

Yeah. And you're on the sex dueraffe. You have an opportunity for more of that. You text me, which feels impossible to believe.

But please tell me. I'll tell you this. I have to start off with the story because I text decks when this happens, when it's a funny one. Sure.

Because a lot of times they're just kind of like, Dax, let me work. That's not worth texting. Dax over. But Donald Faison, my partner in crime, and I were in Las Vegas, we're 50 years old.

We don't party much anymore. But we went one night in Vegas. We were throwing a couple back. And we're playing craps.

And we were winning. And we just had the best time. We have enough booze in us to decide. We should go to the club.

The nightclub. The nightclub. At the wind. I forgot what it's called.

But the chain smokers are playing there. It's enormous. It's like indoor, outdoor, thousands of people. Wow.

And we go with a group of people. And it's fun. And we're having the best time. And as we work our way to someone's booth, I lose Donald.

And I'm like, oh shit. I don't want to be in this place alone at all. Yeah. You start feeling very self-conscious, right?

Self-conscious. And I'm also like, I wasn't going to be here long anyway. But if my boy just left, how long am I really? Your age starts hitting you really quick.

Oh, yeah. I definitely wouldn't do a second night in Vegas. So he said, I never had a good second night in Vegas. Oh.

So we're there. And I'm like, did he leave me? Like, how fucked up would it be if he left? And I'm here.

I don't know any school in this booth. I'm starting to get insecure. And I look up and in the DJ booth. No mind you, thousands of people.

But the DJ booth at this club is in the center of the thing. And it's indoor, outdoor. It's enormous. And I squint.

And I see Donald in the DJ booth. Absolutely. Just full on. I think that wasn't your where to look first.

This kind of shocks me with how long you guys have been friends. I love him. But I don't know if he called Irish Exeter, French, or whatever you call it. I had a feeling like maybe he did that.

I know him very peripherally. My first thought would be I bet Donald's in the DJ booth. I can't wait. Back in the day, he was the guy at the club.

OK. But now he never leaves the house. So this was a big night for us. But I kind of talked to me in the club.

I was like, come on. We have a buzz in Vegas. Let's go to the club. So anyway, I see him.

And he's mean, he's gesturing me to come. I work my way up there. And just as I get into the DJ booth, I'm grabbed by the shoulders by Michael Fassbender. Which pause right there.

I've never met him. I've completely adored him physically. I think he's so gorgeous. And his body's so beautiful.

He's a beautiful man. His penis was nice and shame. I don't remember his penis and shame. You don't remember him in front of us?

I remember the shame had penis in it. I just don't recall his specific penis. Oh, it's gorgeous. It's exactly what you think.

Oh, of course. This is where you two differ. You remember and you don't remember. We appreciate it.

We appreciate it. Yeah. Male bodies. So what's he look like in person?

He's very handsome. And he grabs me. And before I can say anything, he says, I love you. And I go, oh my god.

I love your work. I love everything that you do. He goes, the shit you make is fucking awesome. I wish we could work together.

Oh! My ego is like here. Stop. I'm not having the experience you had just now real time.

I want to give it to you. That's why I texted you. And Donald's looking at me like, proud boy. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And then he goes, I mean fucking chips, dude. Stop. I just felt my heart sink. Because now, not only is it about Dax, but I don't know how to get out of this encounter.

Exactly. It's so huge. I have a picture real quick. Fuck.

It is also incredibly likely. He has conflated you and I into one person. He also loves garden states and sprouts. And he just happened to land on ships as most recent.

I mean, truly. Maybe. I don't know. You only think we're the same person.

I never got that far. I don't know. It's the known nine Vegas. And he's lovely and I love him still.

I love you still. I'm sure he watches your podcast. He's your biggest fan of the world. Well, fast man, or my goodness, I'm flattered.

So he goes chips. And then Donald, being like my wife, wing man, is like, no, man. This is Zach Braff. I would just walk away.

I would have been like, oh, thank you. Chips is the best. But his face dropped as embarrassing as it was. And then he starts to kind of back away like, oh man, you guys had the best night.

And Donald goes, no, no, no, no, no, no. You come back here like a proud wife. This is Zach Braff. Do you not know?

You never seen Garden State? No. No. But Donald starts listing my credits.

You never seen a good person. You never seen the last kiss on scrubs and all these things. Full IMDB, right? I mean, he's just nodding and nodding.

And then I'm like, Donald, let's set him free, please. And he backed away. And I was like, but I didn't even make it out of the club. I was so embarrassed.

I kind of just had a moment. And I texted Zach, so I was like, it is important for you to know how much Michael Fazbender loves chips. Wow. That's such a good story.

Oh my God. But it's the worst though. Yeah. I mean, yes, because we both would love his approval.

Of course. Oh my God. It's one thing when it's someone on the street, of course, we look alike. I go, Oh, thank you.

No, no, that's Jack Shepard, I'm Zach Raffin. That happens all the time in New York. I'm walking around. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But this was like an actor I really would love to want to work with. I'm right. I don't know any of those details. But why don't you make a chip sequel with Michael Fazbender?

I'm a curb. No, Michael, but a Fazbender. Yeah. Oh my God.

That's heartbreaking. That's probably Donald corrected. That's an interesting choice. I wouldn't have done that.

That's a really good friend. I never do it. And if I ever do it, I'm always so kind. It's like you feel embarrassed in that moment and you shouldn't feel embarrassed.

You should feel embarrassed because he makes you feel embarrassed. Well, I know, like it's Quinge because you know what? It's a solely ego. Yeah.

This man I love. Your ego is I wanted this person to like me and they don't like who I am. For me, the embarrassment would have been I'm not embarrassed. I get mistaken for you.

I'm fired by it. Yeah, your handsome as hell. You're incredibly cute and you're talented and you've had a great career. I'm not like don't confuse me with him.

I was kind of an Uber. I had a girlfriend at the time and we got into an Uber and the guy he assumes that she was Kristen because he was like, Hey, I love both of you guys and love your plot. I don't think it was Florence because my brain would have been like, oh, if he loves both of us, this person wasn't a famous person. Okay.

Okay. So I remember when he said I love both your stuff, the Caravana commercials. I knew that it wasn't about this particular guy. I love your car.

You're like, not the team mobile. This is where I would have been embarrassed. The same thing happens, right? Fast minute says, I love you.

I want to work with you. And then he says, I'm so excited. I heard the relaunching scrubs. Right.

What would happen for me is I would have been ashamed that I got excited and it wasn't for me. That's what it would be. I feel like I'm on the phone. Yeah.

I've been like, oh, I feel so good. Now I can medical cognition. My way into knowing that I shouldn't have any of those emotions. I would like to get over it because it's so silly.

I had this at the Netflix party after the Golden Globes. Did you get from the second for me? Well, sort of. Okay.

I don't know if I should say who it is because she's so nice, but Claire Danes. Um, who we did interview. So this is where things get very tricky. I don't know.

But she was like, hi, I was like walking by. And she was like, hi, she stopped me this. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Okay.

So yeah, just hold on. Okay. So I said, hi, oh, it's so good to see you. I can't believe you remember me.

I said that because I was like, we interviewed her so long ago. And I honestly was like, just very impressed. I was like, good for you for honoring me. And then she was like, yeah, of course.

I just talked to blah, blah. I was like, oh, no. Uh oh. I have no idea who you're talking about.

Yeah. But you don't think it was like Mindy or do you think it was an Indian confusion? I mean, I assume whoever she's thinking about is probably Indian. I don't know who.

But I just said, oh, yeah, yeah, it was really good to see you. I'm just heading to the bar. She's like, great. How many of you might have been on the other side of it myself?

I mean, of course. Can you recall exactly who you did? Frank Grillo and John Burnfall. Sure.

We loved you. Absolutely. I loved them both. And I made a mistake to Frank Grillo, who's a lovely actor.

This is very cringe. And I said, you're killing it on the bear. OK. And did he correct you?

He did the same thing I did with a bit of a win. Oh, no. Well, it happens. Yes.

But I'm sure I'm not the first person to confuse those two guys. Super masculine, very talented, and great bodies. Similar vibes. Yeah.

Yeah. What should be comforting is I too have fucked up. And I beat myself up over the time I misidentify somebody way more than what it happens to me. I was just thinking about the grille of thing when I'm in the shower.

If you're comparing that to Fazpender, right? We would probably give the Fazpender a four in that an eight or something. But it became a great story because I'm able to tease myself about it because it was such a funny moment. The fact that Donald was not going to let him slide.

The fact that he was the proud wife that was going to be like listening to my friends. That is sweet. You get to know him. I can't say any of the names.

I will tell you that I was one time doing a movie. There was an older actor in the movie. It was reshoots the night before we had gone home. Chris and I, we watched a certain movie.

We came to set the next morning. The older actor said, would you do less than I said, we watched this movie? He goes, oh my God, I watched that movie too. I then said, oh my God, I don't know why people are obsessed with that movie.

It's such garbage. I don't know why it's blah, blah, blah. And I can sense from the people around me. This is uncomfortable.

I've clearly stepped in it. And then I quickly remember, oh, this person also produced this. And I said, oh my God, did you produce that movie? And he said, no, I directed it.

And he said, you I watched that movie a little bit of a trap, but let's leave it. I'll just own myself. I tried to make it better. I buried myself worse.

And then I just said, for what it's worth, you'll probably forget about this in a couple weeks ago, we thought about this for the rest of my life. And it is so true. I'll just randomly, you know, I cannot believe I said that directly to someone's face. And it just proves the lesson I hadn't learned yet, which is I don't need to ever say bad stuff about anything.

Like I could just tell you the things I love. You don't need to hear what I hate. I don't do that anymore either. Do you find when you were younger?

I like, I did it when I was younger. Oh, yeah. And now that I would do our own podcast, we watch a scrubs. Yes, we watched every single episode of scrubs and then we'd chat about it for an hour and how many episodes were there?

I don't know. Like 200 or something. We should look it up at 150 at least because you were doing 20 a year, right? We did it during COVID over Zoom.

It was like something to do and have a laugh. And then it got really popular and people really liked it. I caught myself early on when you're just chatting with your buddy. I'm sure you guys know this.

You're going to say, oh, I hated that. I hated this. And I stopped myself. I was like, I don't want to spread negativity about anyone's creativity.

Occasionally something would slip in and be like, you guys like that movie. But it was mild. I tried to be careful about not talking to the giant microphone about anybody's work. Yes, you're operating under the false illusion that it's not going to get to them.

But in modern day, everything gets to everybody. And I try to remember that when I read something about myself, I'm like, oh, that person, they didn't think I was going to get it. And they might not even stand by it today because you're just in a mood that day. And I was annoyed last night and this happened.

And then two days later, I might be like, I don't even have that opinion. There's enough people putting negative shit out there in the world. Okay. So you and I have now had a bunch of weird fun overlaps other than just looking similar.

Yes. We've both been in the cheaper by the dozen franchise. I didn't think of that one. Yes.

Yes. That's my very first on a screen in a movie theater. It's very, very, very, very, very, so. I'm not fancy in the movie theater.

Okay. But I'm sure your role was a lot better than mine. Yeah, I had fun making that. We did a remake of it for Disney with Gabby Union and me having a mixed family.

It was fun. Yes. So we're in that universe. Yes.

And then we must talk about Penne for a second. Yes. So you know, and I'm in my top three best friends of my life. I didn't know that.

You didn't know that. I know that he mentions you. Your audience is explaining to you because they won't have any clue who he is. We did go on quite a bit.

So yeah, he produced wedding crashers originally and then he produced a movie that I was in, employee of the month and then we've done four or five other things and then he produced all three of the movies I've directed and we're like inseparable soul mates. He's a nice. I love him. And my world he produces all the team of commercial.

Yes. So I'm not seeing that he hired you instead of me as best friend who seemingly looks identical. Well, you happen with those. It's interesting.

There's a guy who is partner Brian Klugman who writes all the spots. He's sort of the Don Draper of T-Mobile. Those big spots that we make we shoot full spec versions of them beforehand. T-Mobile ads are made in a really unique way.

Most people don't know this. So for example, the Jason Moab one, which was probably the biggest one, which was the Super Bowl ad we did, we don't just like submit copy to T-Mobile and go, Hey, what do you think of these storyboards and this idea? That's the normal way it's done. We shoot full on with iPhones and props and a couple of people helping us.

We shoot the whole spot in my backyard. Oh, okay. So in that case, we wouldn't have had Jason Moab but in post, we'll put like a giant Jason Moab head on a double whose body it is and then we'll move the mouth like South Park. Yeah.

But like we shoot and edit and do all of the sound effects and everything and fully make a realized iPhone version of it. And then we send that in as here's one of the big. But then that's worse. One came to be.

Actually, the first one I ever did, Donald and I ever did was a Super Bowl ad and they didn't use us. They ended up using famous football players. And I was sort of bummed. These are called for people who don't know what's a spec ad meaning.

No one's bought it. You're doing it as a speculative thing with your own money. In this case, Penez and Brian's company. It's a great sales tool because the creatives that people make the decisions as long as they can say, okay, this is an iPhone zero budget version.

Let me see what it looks like if they can use their imaginations. They see what it looks like and then imagine it with not a bobblehead, Jason Moab. A real Jason Moab. Yeah.

Imagine with real effects and imagine it. So the very first one, sorry, rambled. We did one in my backyard and then they ended up being two famous football players. So I was sort of bummed.

Little did I know that it would come back around in such a huge way that now we're their partners. How many years ago was that Super Bowl one? We didn't do this year, but we've done the last four or five years. Yeah.

I feel like you've been doing it for a good five plus years. Yeah. But I'll tell you this, they're made in such a collaborative fun way because Brian Klugman will just be brainstorming. We were on the set of making one of them and he's like, oh, I'm so stressed.

I got to do Christmas spots for these guys and I haven't really come up with anything yet. And we're just sitting there, a group of us, four people, just Donald, Pena, Brian, myself, laughing. You know Nate, talk? Of course.

Nate talks my oldest friend in LA. I really didn't clock how close he wrote with this posse. Oh, yeah, yeah, my kids call Pena uncle Christmas. We got to talk about his outfits.

We could do three hours on our stuff. Every time I'm with him, I take photos so I can bring back to the girls. On your podcast, can you put up an image of someone? of someone?

We should. Yes. We will. I feel like on the video, you should put up what he dresses like.

Yes. Can I just tell you, I met him for a meeting for the employee of the month, and I walk into his office and he didn't have the funds yet, but he still had the style. So he was like in true religion jeans, but they were bedazzled and he was wearing like a half shirt, like a mid-trip. I had never met him.

And I was like, wow, this dude's a lot, huh? But then within four seconds, I'm like, oh, this is the sweetest guy I've ever met. And I got comfortable with it. And then I came to really enjoy how playful he was with this close, but now he's got money.

And it is the most exciting. I've never seen anything like the closest comp I can give your audience is Libra. Sorry. Yeah, Librachi.

It is diamonds. Like I've never seen in real life. It is furs. Yes.

It is a white t-shirt that's ripped. It is Louis Vuitton or Gucci boots that make him like six inches tall. Jean Simmons style, plastar and size. Jean Simmons like Gucci or Louis Vuitton boots.

Yes. A lot of paint comes in the entourage around him. Great crew around him. He has a whole posse that moves like the show on charge.

That's not something I've really seen in real life. I mean, I know it exists, but I haven't really been around those people. He's someone who lives that kind of life. But it's really important to say with no entourage doucheiness.

Just kindness, sweetness. He's kind and lovely. Any champions, interesting. We're both examples of it when he likes someone he really champions them.

Oh, yeah. He'll die for anyone he loves. Also, I'll add he's a Greek kid from Sunland who had a big out for when he graduated and just wanted to play baseball and is never drank in his life. He's so PG and so sweet and so earnest and I tried so hard.

He runs 16 miles a day. Yeah. And takes calls while he's running Nate told me the best story. So yes, anytime you're talking to him, likely he's running up a hill.

He's pretty good at not letting you know he keeps his breathing in chat, but Nate was on the phone with him. It's a pretty important call. I think he had clients on the calls well as a big conference call and all of a sudden he heard, oh, no, sorry, but sorry, but just got into ice bath. Oh my God.

He's around 16 miles an hour. He's entering into an ice bath. And he's the most eccentric, wonderful person and just the sweetest human I've ever met. He's the reason he and Brian Klugman.

I want to tell you about how we come up with the ad. So we were shooting one and Brian says, Oh, I haven't bought a Christmas spot yet. Someone in the group says, Oh, you know, we find you do a like a spoof of love actually with the cards at the door. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that could be funny.

Well, why don't we shoot a speck of it right now? We're here. Yeah. So he has a PA grab the cards.

At the end of the day, we do one take two cameras, cross shooting of the messaging that they want for Christmas on the cards. We never say a word. They love it. We have a proof of concept.

We come back a few months later and shoot the real things, fakes no on the ground. But that's why it's such a fun thing to be doing because it's very, very collaborative. You hear this thing with the market. I think this is most people's experience is like, just do this, do these storyboards.

And if it's not funny, you're kind of cringing. Our thing is the opposite. It's like, what would you say? What do you want to say?

Rift 10 things? Yes, I was going to say, I think where we'll see other actors go wrong in these commercials is probably they're not writers or they're not in provers or they're not directors. So they're relying on the entire machine that is Madison Avenue. I don't know that they're great at writing to actors in the way like we could agree.

Great television showrunners. There's not a ton of them and their gift is they can write to you to make you shine. Yeah, that's a good way to put it. And it's such a rare ability.

So I think when Kristin and I have been approached both campaigns, we've done that starts with like, Hey, I'll have to write them. We'll get the concept done, but it'll have to go through my fingers so that our voices are correct. And it kind of starts with that agreement. And everyone's been cool about it.

I had a friend who's going to do it out and she sent me the copy and she goes, Hey, can you help me? I'm like shooting this tomorrow. And I was like, Oh, no, no, I used to direct them too. I've done a couple.

Did you like? No, I stopped terrible. It's demoralizing. And unlike my team mobile experience, which has been awesome, it was not collaborative.

They really just wanted me to execute the storyboards. And I was like, well, then why am I here? A lot of people can execute these storyboards. I want to bring something to the table in descending order.

Film is the director's medium television is writer then director. The TV spots are the client, the ad agency that this that that before gets the director earlier on. I could wear a loved it because I was not getting any budget for my work. So it was fun to have a big budget and to hire coolest cinematographers in the world because they all do commercials.

So you can hire these bad ass DPs and work with them and hopefully develop friendships with them. I'm a camera geek. So playing with all the cool camera toys, but then I really got over it because I was like doing this. It's not fun.

It's very stressful. There's way too many emails in the non-set. There's like 55 people. I got a sign off everything that happened.

Yeah, when Tim Dext was directing. It's a favor. I want to add that. It's a favor.

And you were getting so mad. And I was like, be nicer. What if these people listen to the podcast? People had joined via Zoom from another state.

Because that's what they do. They didn't get their day on their shoot. So they lost their day because of this racket. And then I was asked by my wife, can you save this thing and direct this in our house and get the piece we didn't get?

And I go, yeah, absolutely. Can't wait. Do it. Well, now this group that already derailed at the first time are now on a Zoom call.

And I just very bluntly said, Hey, you guys lost your day. And I'm not here to make you happy. I'm here to give you this thing that you guys lost yesterday. So that was my attitude.

I'm on a good market keeps you in check. Yeah, it's good to have someone whispering. You're like, Hey, you're being a dick. Yeah, you have to.

Yeah, yeah. It's very easy to lose track of that. I've never been a dick on a TV show directed or a marketing. I'm so amazed at how many people are.

Yeah. Bill Lawrence, who's my mentor, I was a waiter when I got scrubbed. And he ingrained in the sets. I've been on my whole life that no asshole policy, the dolly grip might have a better joke than you do.

Don't have an ego about it. Yeah. You know, that's the vibe of the sets we run. The insecurity has sometimes created me as I'm on a set or more often I hear a story about a really great director and what they did and how they treated everyone.

In the past, I've been like, am I never going to direct blank because I'm not a fucking asshole? Can you only get this level of movie by being a tyrant? No, I don't think that. But there's been times where I think it's about courage because sometimes I find myself directing somebody huge and I go, it's take five.

We're going to look at the time. Are you going to have the balls to go? Hey, man, we don't have it yet. We got to keep going.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's where I have to give myself a pep talk and be like, come on, don't be a wimp. Go have the difficult conversation to push this person because a year from now when this comes out, they're going to be so stoked that even though it was the middle of the night and they were cranky and everyone's cranking and it's raining that you pushed them. Okay, so you did one episode of Ted Lasso.

Yeah. And you've done five shrinkings. I've done five shrinkings. I just did two roosters, which is the new Corel show with Bill.

How did those experiences differ? Lasso was crazy because I was dating Florence at the time and I was over in London and Bill said I got this new show with Sudeikis and it's going to be great. And you want to direct the second one of all times? You remember it was one of the biscuits?

Yeah. And I said, yeah, that should be fun. I liked Sudeikis. He's hilarious.

And from over here anyway, I love to work with you. I directed it. It was a lot of fun. Not really into sports.

So I thought I bet people who like soccer will like this. I mean, it's cute and Sudeikis is very funny and Bill's great. And then I left. And then it came out and it was insane.

What happened? It's still insane. If I go to Apple, I'll notice it's still always in the top three, often in the top two. A new episode hasn't come out in years.

It just became a phenomenon. Yeah. All those guys became famous and what's happened to Brett Goldstein is incredible. I just met them all when they were all completely unknown.

Yes. Second episode is tricky. Second episode is tricky because the pilot of Lasso had a lot of pipe to lay out and had a lot of story to conquer. And episode two of the biscuits was the one where Bill and Jason were going to show you.

Oh, we're also going to break your heart. Also just establishing the tone of the show going forward. It's like we established other characters. Now we're going to show you what the vibe going forward.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard?

This episode is 2 hours and 8 minutes long.

When was this Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard episode published?

This episode was published on March 16, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Zach Braff (Scrubs, Garden State, Bad Monkey) is an actor, writer, and director. Zach joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his storied doppelgänger switcheroo, coming up with a special camera rig to shoot the game play scenes in Ted Lasso, and the...

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