Carla Espinosa
Encyclopedia
Carla Espinosa, RN is a fictional character
in the American comedy-drama
Scrubs
, portrayed by Judy Reyes
.
Carla has appeared in every episode during the first eight seasons except three Season 8 episodes, "My Happy Place", "My Cookie Pants" and "My Full Moon". She worked as the head nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital, in which the main action of the show takes place.
Judy Reyes was a regular cast member for the first eight seasons, and is the only original cast member to not return for season nine, though her character was still mentioned. According to Donald Faison
, who plays Carla's husband Christopher Turk
, Carla becomes a stay-at-home mother following the birth of their second daughter, explaining the character's absence from season nine.
). This advice is often unwanted, but she nearly always turns out to be right. She calls her constant need to tell others what to do "her crack
" in the fifth season. Despite having some problems of her own, no one dares make fun of her; when anyone does, she generally overreacts and ends up humiliating them. Despite her faults, nearly all the characters happily follow her advice in the end.
but moved to Chicago
while still a child. All her family is from the Dominican Republic
, despite Turk's frequent and incorrect assertions that she is Mexican
or Puerto Rican
. It is revealed in Season 5 that she is 36 years old. It is also revealed in the episode "His Story" that Carla's father ran out on the family when Carla was a child.
Carla starts dating Christopher Turk
(Donald Faison
) in the show's second episode, "My Mentor
". They have remained together for almost the entire run of the show. Carla marries Turk in the season finale of season 3, "My Best Friend's Wedding". She and Turk go through a trial separation in season 4 after Carla discovers that Turk is still talking to his ex-girlfriend without telling her he is married which is prolonged after Carla and J.D. kiss. Following some couples' therapy and some frank discussions with Turk and J.D., however, the couple reunites. Despite these issues, Judy Reyes believes the characters were made for each other, and set an example for other couples on the show to emulate.
Soon after reconciliation, they start trying to have a child. Initially, they are unsuccessful, but she finally gets pregnant toward the end of the season after several episodes are spent on Turk and Carla worrying about their respective fertility. Carla gives birth to a baby girl, whom they name Isabella, in the episode "My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby". J.D. becomes the godfather of the child. In "My Coffee" when J.D. enters the room that Carla's in with Isabella in her arms, she points to him and says "Isabella, this is the man you will be competing with for your father's love." In "My House", it is revealed that she suffers from post-partum depression. She spends most of the following episode in denial
about the condition, but finally gets help after a frank discussion with Jordan Sullivan, who had also suffered from the condition.
Carla announces that she is pregnant for the second time in "My Absence".
She has two sisters and a brother named Marco (Freddy Rodriguez
) who hates Turk, and who for years pretended he was unable to speak English
in front of Carla. Her mother, who also hates Turk, dies in the episode "My Drama Queen".
photography
so he would think she is intelligent. She is highly protective of J.D.; when Dr. Cox
(John C. McGinley
) tears into him in "My Nickname", she is quick to come to his defense and tell off the senior doctor. Unfortunately this leads Cox to publicly embarrass J.D. again, which in turn leads J.D. to blow up at Carla. This results in a heated (albeit brief) fight between the two.
Carla and J.D. have a strong friendship; he even gossips with her "like one of the girls". They even use Mardi Gras
beads to signify their friendship and trust shared, almost like a friendship heart necklace ("My Moment of Un-truth"). In "My Lips Are Sealed", J.D. and Carla share a drunken kiss, which leads to some tension between each other and Turk, though this is resolved soon afterward.
While Carla sometimes complains that Turk and J.D. are a stronger couple than she and Turk, there has been no real rivalry between Carla and J.D. for Turk's attention, and both seek to encourage Turk to do the right thing as a husband and friend, respectively.
(Sarah Chalke
) at first, although they have since become best friends. Series creator Bill Lawrence
has said on DVD
commentaries that this mirrored Reyes' and Chalke's real-life relationship.
Though they are close, their relationship is not without friction; Carla sometimes resents Elliot's neurotic
perfectionism and (unintended) condescension about her family background. Elliot in turn is often annoyed by Carla's bossiness. In "My Lucky Charm
", the two get into a vicious "catfight
" (much to the delight of the male employees) over what had started as a disagreement over plans of theirs that were flaked on by both Carla and Elliot.
Elliot is a bridesmaid at Carla and Turk's wedding. Before the ceremony, Carla says that she feels closer to Elliot than she does to her own sisters. In "My Cold Shower", she fantasizes (along with all the other main characters) about marrying Elliot and comments that life would be simpler if she did.
", Cox happily tells Carla that he knows she'll be a terrific mother. In "My Point of No Return
" Carla becomes the godmother to Dr. Cox and Jordan's daughter, Jennifer Dylan.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the American comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
, portrayed by Judy Reyes
Judy Reyes
Judy Reyes is an American actress of Dominican heritage. She is best known for her portrayal of nurse Carla Espinosa on the TV comedy Scrubs.-Early life:...
.
Carla has appeared in every episode during the first eight seasons except three Season 8 episodes, "My Happy Place", "My Cookie Pants" and "My Full Moon". She worked as the head nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital, in which the main action of the show takes place.
Judy Reyes was a regular cast member for the first eight seasons, and is the only original cast member to not return for season nine, though her character was still mentioned. According to Donald Faison
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs and as Murray in the film Clueless and the subsequent television series of the same name.Faison has also co-starred in the films Remember the Titans ,...
, who plays Carla's husband Christopher Turk
Christopher Turk
Christopher Duncan Turk, M.D., is a fictional character played by Donald Faison on the American comedy-drama Scrubs. Turk has appeared in every episode except three Season 8 episodes, "My Saving Grace", "My New Role" and "My Lawyer's in Love". Donald Faison is the only original cast member,...
, Carla becomes a stay-at-home mother following the birth of their second daughter, explaining the character's absence from season nine.
Profile
Judy Reyes describes her character as "sassy, no nonsense". Carla is prone to overreaction and constantly feels the need to tell friends and co-workers how to go about their lives, especially the series' main character, J.D. (Zach BraffZach Braff
Zachary Israel "Zach" Braff is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, comedian, and director. Braff first became known in 2001 for his role as Dr. John Dorian on the television series Scrubs, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.In 2004, Braff made his...
). This advice is often unwanted, but she nearly always turns out to be right. She calls her constant need to tell others what to do "her crack
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
" in the fifth season. Despite having some problems of her own, no one dares make fun of her; when anyone does, she generally overreacts and ends up humiliating them. Despite her faults, nearly all the characters happily follow her advice in the end.
Family life
Carla was born in the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
but moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
while still a child. All her family is from the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, despite Turk's frequent and incorrect assertions that she is Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
or Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. It is revealed in Season 5 that she is 36 years old. It is also revealed in the episode "His Story" that Carla's father ran out on the family when Carla was a child.
Carla starts dating Christopher Turk
Christopher Turk
Christopher Duncan Turk, M.D., is a fictional character played by Donald Faison on the American comedy-drama Scrubs. Turk has appeared in every episode except three Season 8 episodes, "My Saving Grace", "My New Role" and "My Lawyer's in Love". Donald Faison is the only original cast member,...
(Donald Faison
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs and as Murray in the film Clueless and the subsequent television series of the same name.Faison has also co-starred in the films Remember the Titans ,...
) in the show's second episode, "My Mentor
My Mentor
"My Mentor" is the second episode of the American situation comedy Scrubs. It originally aired on October 4, 2001 on NBC.-Plot:Elliot gets on Carla's bad side after telling Dr. Kelso about one of Carla's mistakes. Elliot gets defensive with J.D. when he suspects Elliot started it, and J.D. reflects...
". They have remained together for almost the entire run of the show. Carla marries Turk in the season finale of season 3, "My Best Friend's Wedding". She and Turk go through a trial separation in season 4 after Carla discovers that Turk is still talking to his ex-girlfriend without telling her he is married which is prolonged after Carla and J.D. kiss. Following some couples' therapy and some frank discussions with Turk and J.D., however, the couple reunites. Despite these issues, Judy Reyes believes the characters were made for each other, and set an example for other couples on the show to emulate.
Soon after reconciliation, they start trying to have a child. Initially, they are unsuccessful, but she finally gets pregnant toward the end of the season after several episodes are spent on Turk and Carla worrying about their respective fertility. Carla gives birth to a baby girl, whom they name Isabella, in the episode "My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby". J.D. becomes the godfather of the child. In "My Coffee" when J.D. enters the room that Carla's in with Isabella in her arms, she points to him and says "Isabella, this is the man you will be competing with for your father's love." In "My House", it is revealed that she suffers from post-partum depression. She spends most of the following episode in denial
Denial
Denial is a defense mechanism postulated by Sigmund Freud, in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence.The subject may use:* simple denial: deny the reality of the...
about the condition, but finally gets help after a frank discussion with Jordan Sullivan, who had also suffered from the condition.
Carla announces that she is pregnant for the second time in "My Absence".
She has two sisters and a brother named Marco (Freddy Rodriguez
Freddy Rodriguez
Freddy Rodriguez is an American actor known for playing the characters Hector Federico "Rico" Diaz on HBO's Six Feet Under and El Wray in Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror...
) who hates Turk, and who for years pretended he was unable to speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in front of Carla. Her mother, who also hates Turk, dies in the episode "My Drama Queen".
J.D.
Carla affectionately nicknames J.D. "Bambi" in season 1, and the nickname sticks. She claims that of all the interns she has worked with, J.D. is the only one whose approval she actually cares about, to the extent that she feigns an interest in black-and-whiteBlack-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
so he would think she is intelligent. She is highly protective of J.D.; when Dr. Cox
Dr. Cox
Percival "Perry" Ulysses Cox, M.D. , is a fictional character played by John C. McGinley on the American television comedy-drama Scrubs....
(John C. McGinley
John C. McGinley
John Christopher McGinley is an American actor, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon and Marv in Stone's Wall Street. He has also written and produced for television and film...
) tears into him in "My Nickname", she is quick to come to his defense and tell off the senior doctor. Unfortunately this leads Cox to publicly embarrass J.D. again, which in turn leads J.D. to blow up at Carla. This results in a heated (albeit brief) fight between the two.
Carla and J.D. have a strong friendship; he even gossips with her "like one of the girls". They even use Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
beads to signify their friendship and trust shared, almost like a friendship heart necklace ("My Moment of Un-truth"). In "My Lips Are Sealed", J.D. and Carla share a drunken kiss, which leads to some tension between each other and Turk, though this is resolved soon afterward.
While Carla sometimes complains that Turk and J.D. are a stronger couple than she and Turk, there has been no real rivalry between Carla and J.D. for Turk's attention, and both seek to encourage Turk to do the right thing as a husband and friend, respectively.
Elliot
Carla doesn't feel particularly close to Elliot ReidElliot Reid
Dr. Elliot Reid is a fictional character played by Sarah Chalke in the American comedy-drama Scrubs. She has appeared in every episode during the first eight seasons except two Season 8 episodes, "My Last Words" and "My Lawyer's in Love"....
(Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke is a Canadian-American actress known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC/ABC comedy Scrubs, "Second Becky" Conner Healy on Roseanne, and Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother...
) at first, although they have since become best friends. Series creator Bill Lawrence
Bill Lawrence (producer)
William Van Duzer Lawrence IV is an American screenwriter, producer, and director best known as the creator of Scrubs and co-creator of Cougar Town. Lawrence is married to the actress Christa Miller whom he cast in both television series; they have three children together...
has said on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
commentaries that this mirrored Reyes' and Chalke's real-life relationship.
Though they are close, their relationship is not without friction; Carla sometimes resents Elliot's neurotic
Neurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
perfectionism and (unintended) condescension about her family background. Elliot in turn is often annoyed by Carla's bossiness. In "My Lucky Charm
My Lucky Charm (Scrubs)
"My Lucky Charm" is the 14th episode of season four and the 82nd episode overall of the American sitcom Scrubs. It originally aired on January 25, 2005 on NBC. The episode is dedicated to Teddy Ebersol, the son of Dick Ebersol.-Plot:...
", the two get into a vicious "catfight
Catfight
Catfight is a term for an altercation between two women, typically involving scratching, slapping, hair-pulling, and shirt-shredding as opposed to punching or wrestling . However, the term is not exclusively used to indicate a fight between women, and many formal definitions do not invoke gender...
" (much to the delight of the male employees) over what had started as a disagreement over plans of theirs that were flaked on by both Carla and Elliot.
Elliot is a bridesmaid at Carla and Turk's wedding. Before the ceremony, Carla says that she feels closer to Elliot than she does to her own sisters. In "My Cold Shower", she fantasizes (along with all the other main characters) about marrying Elliot and comments that life would be simpler if she did.
Dr. Cox
Dr. Perry Cox has always had a soft spot for Carla, as she is not afraid to stand up to him. Cox claims that Carla is the only one who 'gets him' and is often very protective of her. During the first season, it is revealed that Dr. Cox is madly in love with Carla, but since she is with Turk, he does nothing about it. It is revealed in "My Quarantine" that at one point they went on a date together that did not end as Dr. Cox would have liked, but nevertheless strengthened their friendship. When Carla confesses how fearful she is of being a parent in "My Way HomeMy Way Home
"My Way Home" is the 7th episode of season five and the 100th episode of the American comedy-drama Scrubs. It originally aired on January 24, 2006 on NBC....
", Cox happily tells Carla that he knows she'll be a terrific mother. In "My Point of No Return
My Point of No Return
"My Point of No Return" is the 22nd and final episode of season six and the 139th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It aired on May 17, 2007 on NBC. It is part two of the two-part season finale, preceded by "My Rabbit".-Plot:...
" Carla becomes the godmother to Dr. Cox and Jordan's daughter, Jennifer Dylan.