Zach Braff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zach Braff
Braff in 2011
Born	Zachary Israel Braff (1975-04-06) April 6, 1975 (age 50) South Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Northwestern University (BA)
Occupation	Actor filmmaker
Years active	1989–present
Relatives	Joshua Braff (brother) Jessica Kirson (stepsister)

Zachary Israel Braff (born April 6, 1975) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is well-known for playing John Michael "J.D." Dorian in the TV show Scrubs from 2001 to 2010. For this role, he was nominated for several awards, including an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. Zach Braff has also starred in movies like The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000) and The Last Kiss (2006). He has also lent his voice to animated films such as Chicken Little (2005) and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013).

In 2004, Braff directed his first movie, Garden State, where he also acted. He wrote the story and put together the music for the film. The movie was filmed in his home state of New Jersey and was very successful, earning over $35 million. It was praised by critics and became a favorite for many people. He won several awards for his directing and also a Grammy Award in 2005 for the soundtrack. In 2014, Braff directed his second film, Wish I Was Here, which he helped fund through a special online campaign called Kickstarter.

Braff has also performed on stage. He starred in and wrote the play All New People, which first showed in New York City in 2011 and later in London. In 2014, he played the main character in a musical version of Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway.

Early Life and Education

Zachary Israel Braff was born on April 6, 1975, in South Orange, New Jersey. He grew up there and in nearby Maplewood. His father, Harold Irwin "Hal" Braff, was a lawyer and professor. His mother, Anne Hutchinson Maynard, worked as a clinical psychologist. Zach's parents divorced and later remarried other people. His father was from a Jewish family, and his mother became Jewish before marrying his father. Braff has said he had a "very strong" Jewish upbringing. His older brother, Joshua Braff, is an author, and his other brother, Adam Braff, is a writer and producer. His stepsister, Jessica Kirson, is a stand-up comedian.

From a young age, Braff dreamed of becoming a filmmaker. He was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder when he was ten. During his school years at Columbia High School in Maplewood, he was friends with Fugees member Lauryn Hill.

Braff attended Stagedoor Manor, a performing arts camp for young actors. There, he met and became friends with actor Josh Charles. He also knows other Stagedoor alumni like Natalie Portman and Mandy Moore. Braff studied film studies at Northwestern University's School of Communication and graduated in 1997.

Acting Career

Braff in 2007

First Roles and Scrubs

One of Braff's first acting jobs was in a TV show pilot called High in 1989, which also featured Gwyneth Paltrow. The show was never aired. He appeared in an episode of The Baby-sitters Club in the 1990s. In 1993, he was in Woody Allen's film Manhattan Murder Mystery. In 1998, Braff acted in a play called Macbeth for New York City's Public Theater.

Braff's big break came when he played "J.D." (John Dorian) in the medical comedy TV series Scrubs, which started in 2001. This was his first main role in a TV show. He was nominated for many awards for his work on Scrubs. Braff also directed several episodes of the show, including its 100th episode, "My Way Home". For the show's ninth season, Braff was an executive producer and appeared in six episodes. In 2025, it was confirmed that Braff is involved in a new version of Scrubs.

Voice Acting and Other Roles

Braff has also done voice work for animated films. He was the voice of the main character in the Disney animated film Chicken Little (2005). He also voiced Chicken Little in several Disney video games, including Chicken Little and Kingdom Hearts II. In 2013, he provided the voice of Finley in the Disney film Oz the Great and Powerful.

Braff has also done voiceovers for commercials, including for PUR water and Wendy's. He also had a small role in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie alongside other Scrubs cast members.

He starred in the romantic drama The Last Kiss, which came out in 2006. Braff helped choose the music for this film, just like he did for Garden State. In 2007, Braff starred in the film The Ex. He also appeared in the Canadian independent film The High Cost of Living in 2010.

Braff played the main character, Alex, in the TV comedy Alex, Inc. in 2018. The show was about a family man who left his radio job to start a podcasting company. The show ran for one season.

Filmmaking Work

Braff in 2023

Braff is known for his work behind the camera as a director and writer. He directed and starred in Garden State, which was filmed in his home state of New Jersey. He wrote the script in six months. The soundtrack for Garden State won a Grammy Award in 2005.

In 2013, Braff used Kickstarter to raise money for his film Wish I Was Here. He wrote the script with his brother Adam. The goal of $2 million was reached in just three days. He directed and starred in the film, which was released in 2014.

Braff was an executive producer for the documentary Video Games: The Movie. He also helped produce The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, released in 2014. He has directed several music videos for artists like Gavin DeGraw and Joshua Radin. His work with music in his films helped some artists become more popular, a trend sometimes called "the Zach Braff effect."

In 2020, Braff directed the short film In The Time It Takes To Get There, starring Alicia Silverstone and Florence Pugh. In 2021, Braff was nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award for directing an episode of the Apple TV+ comedy show Ted Lasso. He also received an Emmy nomination for directing the Ted Lasso episode "Biscuits".

Braff wrote, directed, and produced the drama film A Good Person, which starred Morgan Freeman and Florence Pugh. It was released on March 24, 2023.

Future Projects

Braff at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival

Braff was planning to direct a movie called Open Hearts, a remake of a Danish film. The project was eventually canceled due to scheduling and budget issues. He was also working on a script for a film called Swingles, where he would direct and star alongside Cameron Diaz, but there have been no recent updates on this film.

Theater Work

Braff has a strong background in theater. In 2002, he returned to the Public Theater to perform in Twelfth Night in Central Park. In 2010, Braff played a main role in the play Trust at the Second Stage Theatre, an Off-Broadway theater company. The play was very popular and extended its run. Braff enjoyed performing in Trust with actors like Sutton Foster and Bobby Cannavale.

In 2011, Braff announced that he had written his own play called All New People. The play is about a 35-year-old character named Charlie from Braff's home state of New Jersey. The play was directed by Peter DuBois, who also directed Braff in Trust. In 2012, All New People went on tour in the UK, playing in cities like Manchester, Glasgow, and London.

On April 10, 2014, Braff made his Broadway debut in the musical Bullets Over Broadway The Musical. This musical was based on Woody Allen's 1994 film and was directed by Susan Stroman.

Other Activities

In 2009, Braff opened a restaurant called Mermaid Oyster Bar in New York City with his high school friend Laurence Edelman.

In 2013, Braff made a generous donation that helped the Rio Theater in Monte Rio, California, reach its fundraising goal to buy a new digital projector.

In March 2020, Braff and his Scrubs co-star Donald Faison started a podcast called Fake Doctors, Real Friends. On the podcast, they rewatch episodes of Scrubs and share stories about their time making the show. They have had many of their Scrubs co-stars and the show's creator as guests.

Personal Life

Zach Braff has held a pilot's license since November 2008, flying a Cirrus SR20.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

Theater Performances

Filmmaking Credits

Music Albums

See also

In Spanish: Zach Braff para niños