That I participated in this Q&A as part of the Disney Studios-hosted A Wrinkle In Time Event.
(ABC/Bob D’Amico)
Have you listened to Startup? The podcast is the inspiration for the new ABC comedy Alex, Inc., and it comes highly recommended from Executive Producer, Director and star Zach Braff and Executive Producer Matt Tarses.
(ABC/Bob D’Amico)
Zach Braff plays Alex, a husband and father of two, who quits his job to start his own company.
(ABC/Bob D’Amico)
Tiya Sircar plays his public-defender wife Rooni.
Beyond the inspiration from the podcast, there was the inspiration to create great family television with Alex, Inc. Family and friends were telling Zach that they wanted shows for the whole family. “Even though there’s so much great TV out now, I kept hearing there’s not a ton that we all wanna watch together.”
The wife of the creator of Startup is Persian-American. When Tiya was cast they made her character Indian-American and brought some of her own parents’ upbringing in Calcutta into the show. “I was talking about my parents’ stories that I’ve grown up listening to, and I happened to mention that my parents were coming in town the next day to visit,” says Tiya. That led to an invitation for her parents to meet with the writers and share their stories in person.
In addition to stories about the family, the show features some scene-stealing kids, especially Elisha Henig. “Family Ties was intended to be a vehicle for Meredith Baxter Birney, and Michael J. Fox completely stole the show,” jokes Zach. ” I’m like that kid is gonna Michael J. Fox me. I’m gonna be a supporting character in the show.”
You can watch Alex, Inc. on Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30C on ABC. You can catch up anytime online and on the ABC app.
Based on the podcast StartUp, Alex Schuman (Zach Braff, “Scrubs”) is a brilliant radio journalist, husband and father of two who is about to do something crazy – quit his job and start his own company. He quickly discovers it’s going to be a lot harder than he thought. Zach Braff stars, directs and is executive producer with Matt Tarses (“Scrubs”) and Davis Entertainment (“Dr. Ken,” “Blacklist”).
Matt Tarses is writer and executive producer. Zach Braff is director and executive producer. John Davis and John Fox are executive producers of the series, from Davis Entertainment, as are Alex Blumberg, Chris Gilberti and Matt Lieber (Gimlet Media) in association with Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios.