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 the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 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 lent his voice to animated characters in 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 script and helped create the movie's popular soundtrack album. This film was a big success and won him many awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album in 2005. He later directed another film, Wish I Was Here, in 2014, which he partly funded through a Kickstarter campaign. Braff has also acted in and written plays for the stage.

Zach Braff's Early Life

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 Brodzinsky, was a psychologist. Zach's parents divorced when he was young.

Braff's father was from a Jewish family, and his mother became Jewish before marrying his father. Zach said he had a "very strong" Jewish upbringing. He had his bar mitzvah service at Oheb Shalom Congregation. As an adult, he identifies as Jewish but is not very involved in organized religion. His older brother, Joshua Braff, is an author, and 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 (OCD) when he was ten. During high school at Columbia High School, he was friends with future 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 alums like Natalie Portman and Mandy Moore. Braff studied film studies at Northwestern University and graduated in 1997.

Zach Braff's Career

Braff in 2007

Starting His Acting Journey

One of Braff's first acting jobs was in a TV pilot called High in 1989, which also featured Gwyneth Paltrow. The show 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. He also acted in a stage play of Macbeth in New York City in 1998.

Becoming J.D. on Scrubs

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 major role on a TV show. He was nominated for three Golden Globes and an Emmy for his acting on Scrubs. Braff also directed several episodes of the show, including the 100th episode, "My Way Home." For the show's ninth season, he was an executive producer and appeared in six episodes.

Voice Acting Fun

Braff has used his voice for many animated characters. He was the voice of the main character in the Disney animated film Chicken Little (2005). He also voiced Chicken Little in various Disney video games like Chicken Little and Kingdom Hearts II. In 2013, he voiced Finley in the Disney film Oz The Great and Powerful. He has also done voiceovers for commercials.

Other Acting Projects

Braff 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 (2006) and was involved with its soundtrack. In 2007, Braff starred in the film The Ex. He also appeared in the Canadian indie film The High Cost of Living in 2010.

In 2018, Braff played the main role of Alex in Alex, Inc., a TV comedy about a family man who starts a podcasting company. The show ran for one season. In 2022, he voiced Freck in the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series.

Directing and Writing Films

Braff starred in, directed, and produced Garden State. He filmed it in his home state of New Jersey. He wrote the script in six months. At the 2005 Grammy Awards, the movie's soundtrack won a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album.

On April 24, 2013, Braff started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for his film Wish I Was Here. He wrote the script with his brother Adam. They reached their goal of $2 million in just three days. He directed and starred in the film, which came out in 2014.

Braff in 2023

Braff was an executive producer for the documentary Video Games: The Movie and The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014). He has directed several music videos for artists like Gavin DeGraw and Joshua Radin. His work on movie soundtracks helped some artists, like The Shins, become more famous.

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

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

Braff at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival

Theater Work

Braff returned to the stage in 2002 for a play called Twelfth Night in Central Park. In 2010, he played a lead role in Trust at the Second Stage Theatre. He enjoyed performing in the play.

In 2011, Braff announced he had written a play called All New People. It was first performed in New York City. In 2012, the play went on tour to the UK, playing in cities like Manchester, Glasgow, and London.

On April 10, 2014, Braff started performing on Broadway in the musical Bullets Over Broadway The Musical. This musical was based on Woody Allen's 1994 film.

Other Pursuits

In 2009, Braff opened the Mermaid Oyster Bar restaurant in New York City with a high school friend.

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

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

Personal Life

Zach Braff has previously dated actress Mandy Moore.

In November 2008, Braff earned his pilot's license, learning to fly a Cirrus SR20 airplane.

Political Views

In 2012, Braff supported the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre

Filmmaking Credits

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Zach Braff para niños