A mixed-race television family starring Zach Braff of the sitcom Scrubs and Tiya Sircar of NBC’s The Good Place makes their debut tonight in Alex Inc.
Sircar plays a lawyer forced to deal with her husband’s start up life (Zach Braff) after he quits his radio job to launch a start up company.
The couple has two multiracial children played by Elisha Henig (guest appearances include Grey’s Anatomy and Code Black) and Audyssie James (guest appearance on Sesame Street).
“I don’t know if I’ve seen a character that’s quite like this one where who she is isn’t shied away from, but it’s also not focused on,” Sircar said to Too Fab about her multiracial TV family . “I love that she’s just a normal gal living a normal American life. Just one element to her is that she just happens to be Indian American.”
While her ethnicity may not be the focus of the show, it was definitely intentional, according to the show’s creator, Matt Tarses, who says he and Braff wanted an actress who was either Middle Eastern or South Asian.
Courtesy: ABC
The story is loosely based on Alex Blumberg who in real life has a wife who is Persian American and their different cultures can at times become part of the conversation.
Sircar’s character has been adapted to bring into account her own Bengali American culture.
“I love the way the family feels like a real new family,” Tarses said to EW. “It doesn’t feel like you’ve seen it on TV a lot.”
Braff summarized the show to EW this way.
“It’s about so many things going on in the world, and it’s about podcasting and the new version of American dream and startups and a mixed-race couple with two beautiful mixed-race children, and it was storytelling about a storyteller.”
The show airs Wednesday nights at 8:30/7:30 central on ABC.
AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our Facebook page and our Twitter feed, Please consider interning, joining our staff or submitting a story for consideration.
