Zach Braff is opening up about falling under the spell of the manic pixie dream girl male fantasy.The “Garden State” director has been criticized for perpetuating the trope most prominently in his 2004 directorial debut starring Natalie Portman.
The manic pixie dream girl label refers to unconventional, one-dimensional female characters who ultimately ease the lead male character’s existential despair and change his perspective on life.“I was just copying Diane Keaton in ‘Annie Hall’ and Ruth Gordon in ‘Harold and Maude,’” Braff told The Independent about crafting Portman’s character Sam.
“Those were my two favorite movies growing up, and I was kind of taking those two female protagonists and melding them into Natalie Portman.”Braff added, “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,
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