The doctor is in. Zach Braff wouldn’t have it any other way.
Growing up in South Orange, New Jersey, the “Scrubs” star dreamed of wearing a white coat.
“Becoming a doctor was definitely on my radar,” the 51-year-old says. “When I was in high school, they had a Volunteer Rescue Squad in my town for kids to work with the local ambulance service EMTs.
“I did that and was so fascinated by it that I thought, ‘Wow, maybe. Maybe I could get into medical school,’” Braff says, though he acknowledges: “I wasn’t the best student. I wasn’t good at biology and chemistry.”
So, he did the next best thing: play a doctor on TV. Now, he says real doctors come up and say, “You really inspire me.”
After the first run lasted nine seasons from 2001 to 2010, “Scrubs” is enjoying new life, back on Wednesdays on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu. The revamped medical sitcom had 11 million viewers during its premiere week and was just renewed for a second season.
Braff reunites with Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke as the medical gurus of Sacred Heart Hospital. This time around, they’re a little older and more experienced — both at medicine and life.
“The new shows overlap with our lives,” says Braff, who portrays central character and narrator Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian. “We’re not riding each other’s backs into the walls anymore, but we are allowed to be very silly 51-year-olds. Everyone could use a little silly in their lives.”
When he’s not on duty, Braff lives in L.A. with his rescue dog, Penny.
His good life advice:
Don’t let go
Braff never really let “Scrubs” go. After the popular series left the air, he launched his own podcast called “Fake Doctor, Real Friends” with Faison in 2020. The guys used the forum to tell behind-the-scenes stories, break down episodes and talk about off-camera antics, friendship and the show’s impact. The podcast achieved 100 million downloads with 200 episodes and was a top 10 hit. Why couldn’t the audience let it go? “It’s a show about friendship and community, and I think people really respond to that when it’s written well because everyone is longing for community and friendship,” Braff says.
Special bonds
“We’re all looking to have a great chat with someone else — especially at this age,” says the actor, known for playing the guy next door. “Sometimes you’re alone and you’re just sitting there, all you really want to do is see your friend’s face and hear their voice. I love those kinds of friends where you can have moments where one minute you’re laughing and the next you’re crying. … You’re lucky if you have a handful of friends and you really love them.”
Embrace change
It’s a slightly new “Scrubs” that has grown up over the years. “We wanted to reground the show,” Braff says. “The trick was, over the course of the eight years, it got broader and broader and broader. We had episodes where we were forced up into a tree last time around. Now, we really strived to have the drama, the comedy and the fantasies, but add some reality. … They’re great teachers now and also take their jobs very seriously.” Aging has snuck up on them. J.D. and Turk do their “Eagle” race to jump onto each other’s backs. “This time around one of us collapses because our sciatica is acting up,” he says. “That’s real life and getting older.”
Forever friends
“We stayed close over the years,” Braff says of this cast, who had a Saturday night dinner together every week to maintain their friendship. “That’s why we wanted to come back. It was a no-brainer. (Creator/executive producer) Bill Lawrence is one of my closest friends. Donald? I’m godfather to his children. He was married in my backyard. And John McGinley and I sauna together. We were all really good buddies.”
Reach out
“We make a reference in the pilot episode to a male loneliness epidemic, but it’s true,” Braff says. “In real life, I FaceTime Donald four times a day … and then I text his wife, ‘Is he OK?’ … So, when it came time to say, ‘Hey, do you want to get the band back together?’ everyone was like, ‘Absolutely! I’ll be there tomorrow morning.’”
Follow your heart
Braff, the son of a clinical psychologist mother and a trial attorney father, graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in film. He did movies including “Garden State” and “The Last Kiss” before “Scrubs” came along. “I wanted to act because we had a Super 8 camera in my house,” he says. “The whole family liked to make movies together and show them on the living room wall. I think acting was in my blood. After the brief doctor thing, there was no other choice but film school.”
Talk to your doctor
He gets a kick out of real-life doctors who come up to him and want to talk shop. “They tell me that we really capture the feeling of being a doctor,” Braff chuckles.
Make ’em smile
He does allow that comedy has its own healing powers. “Donald and I say all the time, ‘My God, if we can make a handful of people laugh once or twice a week, at least we’re doing something,’” Braff shares. “As one of the OG Scrubs we tell the younger ones on the show, ‘There is nothing wrong with making someone smile.’”
