As reported byPEOPLE, starZach Braffrecently addressed the criticisms of his filmGarden State. During a recent interview withThe Independent, Braff reflected on the negative responses to his 2004 indie film.Garden State(which was written and directed by theScrubsstar)tells the story of Andrew, a struggling actor who returns to his native New Jersey home after the passing of his mother. While in New Jersey, Andrew meets Sam (played by Natalie Portman).
The Independent noted that the character Sam has been called the original Manic Pixie Dream Girl, a title created by film critic Nathan Rabin in 2007. Manic Pixie Dream Girl is considered a character trope meant “to describe female love interests with no discernible inner life but for some reason a desperate need to make sad leading men feel better about themselves.”
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Zach Braff Said That Garden State Was Him “Copying Diane Keaton in Annie Hall and Ruth Gordon in Harold and Maude”
In response, Braff told the outlet, “I was just copying Diane Keaton in Annie Hall and Ruth Gordon in Harold and Maude. Those were my two favorite movies growing up, and I was kind of taking those two female protagonists and melding them into Natalie Portman. Of course I’ve heard and respect the criticism, but… I was a very depressed young man who had this fantasy of a dream girl coming along and saving me from myself. And so I wrote that character.”
The star went on to state that he “knew I was battling something. That’s what writingGarden Statewas about. I wasn’t as extreme as Andy, but I was certainly battling my own demons. As I was writing it, I was hoping I could survive what became known as the quarter-life crisis, and depression, and fantasizing that the perfect woman would come along and rescue me.”
When asked if the personal aspects ofGarden Statemade the criticisms of the film worse, Braff said, “I mean, I just feel lucky that I get to make stuff. I can’t really dwell on it. Anyone who’s ever got a bad grade on an essay from a teacher can relate – just imagine it was out there in public, you know?”
He continued, “No one said being a creative person was easy, but you have to be vulnerable and authentically yourself. Otherwise, what’s the point?” Braff then added, “Your skin gets tougher. When you’re young, you’re very vulnerable. But I’ve been doing this for 20 years now. You get used to it.”
Braff went on to speak about his latest movie,A Good Person, which was filmed in his hometown of South Orange. He finished off the interview by saying, “I knew I was going to make movies and be an actor. I knew I wouldn’t be living in South Orange. I knew I’d be the guy that got on the train.”
