Jake Johnson is entering an especially busy period, with three television projects and three films due this year, led by the Apple TV+ comedy “The Dink”. In an interview, he describes developing the film independently with writer Sean Clements and reflects on the changing prospects for mid-budget studio comedies.

“The Dink”, released on 24 July, stars Johnson as a former teenage tennis hopeful drawn into competitive pickleball at his father’s country club. The cast includes Ed Harris, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Stiller, Chloe Fineman and Patton Oswalt; Johnson trained with tennis coach Brad Gilbert despite having little previous interest in either tennis or pickleball. The interview also touches on the 15th anniversary of “New Girl”, lost residual payments and a yearly gift from Tom Cruise.