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Zach Braff

Zach Braff

Actor, director, producer and writer · Born April 6, 1975 (51) · South Orange, New Jersey, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 5 other major award bodies

Zachary Israel "Zach" Braff (born April 6, 1975) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, and director. Braff first became known in 2001 for his role as Dr. John Dorian on the TV series Scrubs, which earned him his first Emmy nomination. Braff remained working on Scrubs for eight years, until he announced his departure as an actor, his last episode airing in December 2009. Braff has, however, taken an executive producer's role on the series. In 2004, Braff made his directorial debut with Garden State, a coming of age film. Braff returned to his home state of New Jersey to shoot the film, which was produced on a budget of $2.5 million. The film made over $35 million at the box office as well as profiting from DVD sales, and was praised by critics, giving Braff his first financial success and critical acclaim in film work. Braff wrote the film, starred in it, and selected and produced the soundtrack record, for which he won a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album in 2005. Braff is also known for starring in the films The Last Kiss and The Ex, and for his vocal work on Chicken Little. In 1993, he had a supporting role in Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery – a role that would mark his film debut. Braff states that he will continue to write and direct films in the coming years.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 6, 1975 (51)
From
South Orange, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Actor, director, producer and writer
Titles
44 on MovieCove · 60 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

What are Zach Braff's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
36%
Bonds
27%
Morality
15%
Survival
7%
Power
6%
Ideas
5%
Society
5%
Purpose9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 15 · Serious 5 · Dark 5

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 18 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 14 · Charged 7 · Intense 4

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 14 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 8

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 18 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 14 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 5

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

18 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 10 of 18 analyzed roles.

Hero
10 of 18
Ally
3 of 18
Shadow
2 of 18
Shapeshifter
1 of 18
Threshold guardian
1 of 18
Trickster
1 of 18
Show the 18 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
16
Melancholic
14
Hopeful
11
Tense
9
Joyful
9
Other
27

How their films linger

Hopeful18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous3
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Zach Braff's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 44 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Zach Braff's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

60 credits, 44 with a MovieCove page; 32 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Girls Like Girls(2026)

    as Curtis

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Clean Hands(2026)

    Executive Producer · as Kevin Simmers

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Rooster(2026)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Scrubs(2026)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · as John 'J.D.' Dorian

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Long Story Short(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Garden State - The 20th Anniversary Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self - Host

  • Bad Monkey(2024)

    Show 2 episodes · as Israel 'Izzy' O'Peele

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • French Girl(2024)

    as Gordon Kinski

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Bookie(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Locko Rocko (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Mattachine Family(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • A Good Person(2023)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • A Little White Lie(2023)

    as Real Shriver

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Shrinking(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Obi-Wan Kenobi(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Freck (voice)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Moonshot(2022)

    as Leon Kovi

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Cheaper by the Dozen(2022)

    as Paul Baker

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Solos(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • The Comeback Trail(2020)

    as Walter Creason

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Percy Vs Goliath(2020)

    as Jackson Weaver

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Ted Lasso(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • In the Time It Takes to Get There (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Alex, Inc.(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · as Alex Schuman

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • Just Say Goodbye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Thanks

  • Going in Style(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Disaster Artist(2017)

    as Zach Braff (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • In Dubious Battle(2016)

    as Connor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • BoJack Horseman(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Zach Braff (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Video Games: The Movie(2014)

    Executive Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Wish I Was Here(2014)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Aidan Bloom

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz(2014)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Undateable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Zach

  • My Journey in Oz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Thanks · as Self

  • Tim Heidecker's Zach Braff's Wish I Was Here (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Story

  • Oz the Great and Powerful(2013)

    as Frank / Finley

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Circus Halligalli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Color of Time(2012)

    as Albert

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Exes(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Chuck Feeney

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • The High Cost of Living(2010)

    as Henry

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Cougar Town(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Pizza Guy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Söndagsparty med Filip & Fredrik (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Crazy Hair Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Scrubs: Interns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as John "J.D." Dorian

  • Wallace's Lists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Actor

  • The Ex(2006)

    as Tom Reilly

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Last Kiss(2006)

    as Michael

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Chicken Little(2005)

    as Chicken Little (voice)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Garden State(2004)

    Director · Writer · as Andrew Largeman

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Arrested Development(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as Phillip Litt

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie(2002)

    as Dr. John "J.D." Dorian

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Clone High(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Revere (voice) · as X-Stream Mike (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Scrubs(2001)

    Show 181 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · as John 'J.D.' Dorian

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Endsville (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Dean

  • The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy(2000)

    as Benji

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Blue Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Young Fred

  • Getting to Know You(1999)

    as Wesley

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • TRL (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lionel on a Sun Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Writer

  • Manhattan Murder Mystery(1993)

    as Nick Lipton

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • The Baby-Sitters Club(1990)

    Show 13 episodes · as David Cummings

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 60 titles from 1990 to 2026; peak year 2005.

Biggest box office

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)

$493M worldwide

Highest rated

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Scrubs (2001)

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward winNomination
19902026

Peak 2005 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 12 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting45 of 60: 39 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndDirecting13 of 60: 5 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score83rdWriting7 of 60: 1 only writing, 6 with another roleProducing11 of 60: 3 only producing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score66thOther crew2 of 60: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

60 titles, 10 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

1990s6 · 5 acting · 1 crew2000s16 · 16 acting · 2 crew2010s18 · 11 acting · 9 crew2020s20 · 13 acting · 9 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 32% of 19 roles
930818

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 major awards from 11 major nominations, 2004–2021.

WinNomination
  1. 2021
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
  2. 2007
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  3. 2006
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  4. 2005
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • +3 other major bodies · 2 wins and 2 nominations
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Original Screenplay
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best First Feature
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Screenplay
  5. 2004
    • Sundance award, nominated · Dramatic

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Zach Braff's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 44 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 44 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Cheaper by the Dozen (2022)

82nd percentile spread · 49% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 24 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Zach Braff's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles11–35 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles19–46 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles17–79 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles16–75 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles16–50 · median 29 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Zach Braff work with?

People who share at least 2 of Zach Braff's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Morgan Freeman shares the most, 4.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles