How Zach Braff Got Natalie Portman To Star In “Garden State” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Garden State felt like I'm trying to. think of the chronology because as. scrubs ended completely when you do. Garden State no no I was I was very. young it was it was the um it was I. think after the second or third season. of Scrubs because I I um my my second my. first Hiatus from Scrubs I was in a. production of the of 12th night at the. Dela Court Shakespeare in the park in. New York which had always been a dream. of mine and then I remember while being. there writing Natalie Portman a letter. because. I had she was my first choice.

um I didn't have everything she'd say. yes but she was like the archetype of. who I picture yeah and um and I knew. that she had done the seagull there so I. thought oh this will be a good angle I'm. sitting in the same dressing room where. she once sat and I'll write her a very. personal note to saying please consider. the script. um and then she said yes over over that. over that season two so we may have. maybe been after season two or three I. forgot but we shot in 2003 whatever that. was it it uh I mean first of all getting. Natalie Portman and and this is your.

directorial debut yeah and I'm young. very young and I remembered at the time. it being it you know you're stepping out. of. your comfort zone to say like I'm on. this successful sitcom everyone knows me. as this guy as this character but I am. going to uh make this movie yeah and. it's something that's very vulnerable. saying like hey here are things I've. dealt with here I mean it's very it was. I had so much clits but when I think.

back. um. um I didn't know what I didn't know you. know what I mean yeah but that's. that's another gift too it is is to be I. mean we're right again the time machine. now knowing everything I know and. someone said okay it's 1993. what you're. going to do is I'd say no. crazy no. no full and awful. awful no I'm just gonna stay right here. in this armchair uh because it's great. not to know yeah I didn't know anything.

it's a superpower it's a superpower. that's a great way to put it and so and. and amazing things happened I mean it. became a. you know no one wanted to to fund it at. first no one uh knew you know it was it. was a sort of different kind of. screenplay where the third act should go. the character just go off on a quest for. a piece of jewelry we've never heard. about it right it didn't really follow I. was being a little bit. um Brave with with structure and um and. so it was hard to find someone to to to. make it and then I I did and then we had.

a a really meaningful Sundance sale and. then it went on to become really. successful how terrifying it all worked. out so well but how terrified just. knowing you how scared were you. I I always try to delineate I've never. been in this film business I've always. been in a let's get in there think of a. couple of ideas okay these seem pretty. good let's get out there and do it. bang crowds seem to like it let's go. what's the next one or crowd didn't like.

it well we'll get them tomorrow yeah and. this idea that you're putting that much. time and so much of yourself into. something and you're so young and then. it's all it's coming out yeah it's. coming out how scary it was terrifying. it's but I feel the same way now I have. a new movie coming out it's so you're so. vulnerable but what else can you. do you I mean I think when you when you. choose this career it's like what else. are you going to do you have to you have. to do it you have to make stuff and go. okay here world but in the spirit of not. knowing what I didn't know I had never.

I'd never put myself out there scrubs I. was hiding behind the the great Bill. Lawrence I just I just did what he said. to do and improv some jokes and and it. worked but I he was he was the face of. it right in Hollywood at least. um Garden State was the first time. saying hey world uh this these are some. of my thoughts and feelings right um uh. love them or hate them and that so. that's terrifying yeah you said Hey Now. You're gonna listen to me see no you say. hey please look at this no but I.

remember at that time you doing a lot of. interviews yeah you're all gonna listen. to me see and you had a big cigar you're. thinking of somebody else I'm thinking. of uh Guys and Dolls you're thinking of. whenever they do like old like movies. parodies. [Laughter].