Zach Braff

Zach Braff
6.7
Zach Braff photo 1 Zach Braff photo 2 Zach Braff photo 3 Zach Braff photo 4
Name:
Zach Braff
Real name:
Zachary Israel Braff
Who is:
,
Birth date:
(50 y.o.)
Place of birth:
South Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:
5'12 ft ( )
Namesakes:
Birth Sign:
( characteristic )
Chinese zodiac:

Photos: Zach Braff

Zach Braff Biography

Zach Braff (Zachary Israel Braff) is a vibrant and unconventional actor who shot to fame playing the charming Dr. J.D. in the series "Scrubs" and through his directorial work on "Garden State" and "Wish I Was Here". Producer, screenwriter, three-time Golden Globe winner (2005-2007) and Grammy recipient, Emmy nominee.
Pictured: Zach Braff
Pictured: Zach Braff

Childhood and Family

Zach was born in South Orange, New Jersey, to Harold Irwin Braff, a trial attorney, law professor, and instructor at Rutgers Law School, and Anne Brodzinsky, a clinical psychologist. His father is Jewish, while his mother's ancestors emigrated to the States from Poland.

His parents divorced when Zach was very young, but even after splitting up they remained close friends. Zachary grew up with two older brothers: Joshua, who became a well-known author, and Adam, who also chose a creative path, becoming a screenwriter and producer.
Zach Braff as a child
Zach Braff as a child
At 10, Zach was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which manifested as unexplained anxiety and worry or bouts of irrational fear. To manage these symptoms and find distraction, Zachary enrolled in theater school. For 8 years, Zach also trained at the Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center alongside Mandy Moore, Josh Charles, and Natalie Portman. These classes became the launching pad for Braff's creative career.
Zach Braff in his youth
Zach Braff in his youth
In 1993, Zach enrolled at Northwestern University, where four years later he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree—another stepping stone toward fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a director.

Breaking Into the Business

During high school and college, Zach managed to land small parts in several popular television projects. In 1993, he took on a minor role in Woody Allen's crime comedy "Manhattan Murder Mystery", playing the main characters' son, Nick. The film also featured the incomparable Anjelica Huston and Jerry Adler, familiar to audiences from his role in "The Addams Family".
Zach Braff at the start of his career
Zach Braff at the start of his career
In 2000, the young actor appeared in the romantic comedy "Getting to Know You", playing punk rocker Benji. That same year saw two more films featuring Zach: the arthouse fantasy-drama "Blue Moon" and the drama "Endsville", where he worked alongside William Fichtner and Ethan Phillips.

"Scrubs" and Career Breakthrough

The young actor shot to fame playing intern-turned-doctor John Dorian in the comedy series "Scrubs". Right after landing the role—which, incidentally, Michael Mooney also auditioned for—Zach Braff quit his waiter job and dove headfirst into production.
Zach Braff and the cast of "Scrubs"
Zach Braff and the cast of "Scrubs"
His character is a childlike dreamer who loves nothing more than daydreaming and hanging out with his best friend Turk, a surgeon at the same hospital. At the same time, Dorian has a genuinely kind heart, and his sense of responsibility toward patients drives him to noble acts—like spending entire nights at a dying patient's bedside to comfort them in their final hours.
Zach Braff Compares Himself with JD On Scrubs
The series ran for nearly ten years starting in 2001. Zach didn't just play one of the show's standout roles—earning Golden Globe and Emmy nominations—he also directed several episodes and served as a producer.
Zach Braff as Dr. Dorian
Zach Braff as Dr. Dorian
During his 10-year "Scrubs" run, Zach managed to work on ten other projects. His most notable work in the early 2000s was the psychodrama "Garden State" (2004)—where he not only starred but also made his directorial debut. Critics praised the film as "unhurried, deeply atmospheric, and almost psychedelic." Braff's co-stars included Peter Sarsgaard and Natalie Portman.
A shot from the film "Garden State"
A shot from the film "Garden State"
In 2006, Zach played Tom in the romantic comedy "The Ex", alongside Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, and Mia Farrow. That same year, he co-wrote the screenplay for "The Last Kiss" with Paul Haggis and starred in the touching, ironic film. While audiences and critics praised Zach's performance, the movie itself didn't achieve major success.
Zach Braff in the film "The Ex"
Zach Braff in the film "The Ex"
When "Scrubs" ended in May 2010, Zach worked hard to shake off the comedy-doctor-show typecasting that had stuck to him like glue.

Career Evolution

In 2010, Canadian drama "The High Cost of Living" hit theaters with Zach in the lead role. Director Deborah Chow had already made her mark on film enthusiasts with her work on the detective psychological thriller "Flowers in the Attic," which shocked audiences. Deborah's new project didn't disappoint fans either—a melancholic, deeply complex, and piercing film that makes you think about what really matters in life. Many believe it was thanks to the director that Zach achieved the impossible: breaking free from the Dr. J.D. Dorian image that had become inseparable from him after "Scrubs."
On the set of "The High Cost of Living"
On the set of "The High Cost of Living"
In 2012, Zach appeared in the biographical drama "The Color of Time," which reveals details from the life of poet and writer Charles Kenneth Williams. Braff starred alongside Mila Kunis, James Franco, and other Hollywood stars. Despite its success in the West, the film didn't catch on with Russian audiences.
A frame from "The Color of Time"
A frame from "The Color of Time"
In 2016, Zach reunited with James Franco on the set of the dramatic film "In Dubious Battle," which also featured Selena Gomez and Robert Duvall, as well as in the comedy-drama "The Disaster Artist."
Zach Braff | CONAN on TBS
When talking about Zach's work, you can't skip the two documentaries he produced. In 2014, Braff produced "Video Games: The Movie," where he also appeared, sharing his memories and impressions of discovering virtual reality.

That same year saw the release of another documentary, "The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz," with Zach as producer. Braff calls this project especially meaningful to him personally, as it embodied his commitment to truth and justice. The film sparked massive public discussion—it was dedicated to the life and death of Aaron Swartz, political activist and internet genius.

Directorial Work

Braff has several successful films under his belt as a director, with "Wish I Was Here" standing out as a particularly notable achievement from 2014. Despite being labeled a comedy-drama, there's little humor here—this is a deeply philosophical film about ordinary people's lives. Watching this young couple's journey, you'll likely find yourself remembering moments from your own life, some sad, some amusing.
A shot from the movie "Wish I Was Here"
A shot from the movie "Wish I Was Here"
Zach played Aidan, a father of two, in his own film, and critics noted that both as director and actor, he successfully avoided the clichés and stereotypes that often plague films in this genre. Zach's partners in this project were Jim Parsons and Kate Hudson.

In 2017, Zach delivered the crime comedy "Going in Style," which many Russian viewers compared to the famous Soviet-era film "Old Men: Robbers" starring Yevgeny Yevstigneyev and Yuri Nikulin. In Zach's interpretation, this story about restoring justice with Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin turned out just as touching and kind as Eldar Ryazanov's film.
A shot from the movie "Going in Style"
A shot from the movie "Going in Style"
A year later, Zach premiered the first season of the comedy series "Alex, Inc.," in which he once again took the lead role. Zach's character takes a desperate leap: he quits his unbearably boring job and tries to build his own business, but real life turns out quite different from what he imagined. Braff's hero attempts to overcome obstacles and battle his own psychological issues as he pushes toward his goal, naturally landing in amusing situations that make viewers both laugh and sympathize with him.
Alex, Inc. - Zach Braff on Creating and Casting the Series
Zach was joined in this series by Tiya Sircar, who played his character's wife. The project also featured Michael Imperioli, Hillary Anne Matthews, and Audyssie James. Viewers loved this funny and slightly naive series for its concept, execution, and, of course, the actors' performances. Despite its success, the show was canceled after just one season.

In early April 2020, it was revealed that Zach, along with his longtime friend Donald Faison, who also played one of the main roles in "Scrubs," launched a podcast dedicated to the legendary series. Zach and Donald announced plans to watch and comment on every episode, reminiscing about the most interesting and funny moments from filming the show beloved by millions of viewers. The project sparked rumors about a possible series continuation, and fans even asked Zach about it on social media, but he disappointed them by saying it's impossible to make that idea happen.

Additionally, in 2020, Braff joined the directorial team of "Ted Lasso," which stole viewers' hearts from its very first season.

In 2021, he worked on the miniseries "Loneliness," and in 2023 he released the feature-length drama "A Good Person" starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman. It's the story of a young woman preparing to get married who, on the eve of her wedding, causes an accident that kills her fiancé's sister. Over the next year, she becomes a completely different person.
On the set of the film "A Good Person"
On the set of the film "A Good Person"
In an interview timed with the film's release, Braff admitted the story was largely drawn from his own life:
In 2016, my sister had an aneurysm, and two years later she died. My father didn't last long after her death. And then I went into isolation. And one of my best friends, who was staying with me along with his wife and young child, got sick and eventually died. He was 41! And in the conditions of self-isolation, I just wanted to write something authentic about this pain, this anguish that we human beings sometimes experience, and how we cope with it.
The film received mixed reviews from critics but earned around $3 million at the box office and proved to be an important creative statement for its creator.

Alongside the film premiere, Braff continued working in television. In March 2023, the eighth episode of the first season of "Shrinking" aired, directed by Zach himself.

This was another collaboration with his old friend and "Scrubs" creator Bill Lawrence, as well as a chance to work with Harrison Ford himself—a real gift for Braff. Lawrence traditionally trusted him with the juiciest episodes, and this one was no exception.

In 2024, Zach appeared twice in Apple TV+ projects. First came the comedy "Bad Monkey" with Vince Vaughn, where Braff played Dr. Israel O'Peele, a morally bankrupt doctor caught up in medical fraud.
Zach Braff drinks a beverage in neon light
Zach Braff in the series "Bad Monkey"
Source: IMDb
The role was small—just two episodes—but memorable: it was a rare chance for Zach to play an outright villain, and he nailed it, showing the dark side of his character's charm. Critics noted that O'Peele felt like an alternate version of J.D. from "Scrubs" if he'd taken a wrong turn and slid into Florida scams.

Meanwhile, work continued on the second season of "Shrinking." In 2024, Braff directed several more episodes of the show, including some particularly crucial to the plot. During an interview in August, he gushed about collaborating with Ford, admitting it was one of the most enjoyable jobs of his career.

Zach Braff's Personal Life

Zach Braff is considered one of modern cinema's most enigmatic figures, not just for his unconventional approach to filmmaking, but for his intensely private nature—fans know remarkably little about Braff's romantic relationships and personal life. Raised with deep respect for traditional Jewish values, where family comes first, Zach takes creating a family seriously, which is precisely why he's never been married.

In the early 2000s, Zach met singer and actress Bonnie Sommerville, who performed a song in the drama "Garden State". Their relationship was short-lived.
Zach Braff and Bonnie Sommerville
Zach Braff and Bonnie Sommerville
Next to capture Zach's heart was actress Mandy Moore, but even she wasn't the one who could convince Zach to give up his freedom.
Zach Braff and Mandy Moore were dating
Zach Braff and Mandy Moore were dating
In late 2009, media reports surfaced that Zach was dating stunning blonde model Taylor Bagley. For about six years, the couple appeared together at events and delighted fans with shared photos on social media. Despite fans' expectations of an engagement announcement, Zach and Taylor announced their split in 2014. According to both Braff and Bagley, the decision was mutual, and they maintained a warm friendship.
Zach Braff had the most serious relationship with Taylor Bagley
Zach Braff had the most serious relationship with Taylor Bagley
In 2019, the next contender for Zach's heart was young actress Florence Pugh (20 years his junior).
Zach Braff and Florence Pugh
Zach Braff and Florence Pugh
The actress's fans actively criticized her decision, prompting her to fire back at them in a sharp blog post, writing that she alone had the right to decide who she dates and who she doesn't. Florence addressed her followers with an angry speech, accusing those criticizing her choice of disrespecting both her and her partner, and urged anyone who felt entitled to criticize her to unfollow her page. Zach's fans, on the other hand, approved of his choice, noting that despite her young age, Florence was an accomplished actress with a determined and resolute character.
In April 2020, Zach Braff took a dog from a shelter
In April 2020, Zach Braff took a dog from a shelter
Zach and Florence's romance lasted about three years. In August 2022, they announced their breakup. Despite the split, they maintained warm relations: Zach congratulated her on her 27th birthday on social media, calling her a "legend," and Florence reposted it to her stories with a heart. Their friendship proved so strong that they appeared together at the premieres of "A Good Person" in London and New York in March 2023, smiling on the red carpet like old friends.

In interviews, both spoke respectfully of each other. Braff called Pugh one of the greatest actresses of her generation, acknowledging her magnetism and incredible talent. Florence thanked him for the "beautiful gift"—the role in the film and the opportunity to work with someone who understood her so deeply.

In October 2024, Zach went on a date with a young brunette. Soon after, the girl's identity was revealed: she turned out to be 26-year-old singer-songwriter Frances Whitney. Her music career was just taking off. The details of their romance remained behind the scenes – perhaps Zach learned from past experience and decided to keep his personal life private.
Frances Whitney in a red outfit, face in close-up, hands on her head
Pictured: Frances Whitney
Source: @frannybanany

Zach Braff Now

Zach's still an incurable romantic, idealist, and optimist, though sometimes his optimism carries a hint of melancholy and despair – many of his projects feature happy endings, but once the credits roll, viewers realize that despite the seemingly happy resolution, the characters aren't destined for happiness.

The biggest news for Zach Braff fans in recent years was the revival of "Scrubs." Rumors about a possible reboot had been circulating for years, with Braff and his best friend Donald Faison constantly joking about it on their podcast "Fake Doctors, Real Friends."

In May 2025, information leaked about Zach's return to the role of J.D., and by July, ABC officially ordered a full season. Braff was joined by Faison (Turk) and Sarah Chalke (Elliot), with all three also serving as executive producers on the project.
The cast of "Scrubs" poses for a photo in 2025
The revival of "Scrubs" was announced in 2025
Source: IMDb
According to the synopsis, J.D. and Turk are working together again at the same hospital for the first time in years. Medicine has changed, the interns have changed, but their friendship has stood the test of time.

In September 2025, the first table read took place with the original cast, including Judy Reyes (Carla) and John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox). Braff himself directed the first episode. The premiere is set for February 25, 2026.

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