ZACH BRAFF
Known mostly for his role as medical intern John "J.D." Dorian in NBC's sitcom Scrubs, Zach Braff has an enthusiasm for acting that can be traced back to his childhood in South Orange, NJ, where, at eight years old, he recalls watching his attorney father participate in a local theater group. Three years later, Braff could be found cultivating his own show-business skills at Stagedoor Manor, a renowned children's acting camp. After attracting the attention of a well-connected talent scout, Braff made his would-have-been television debut opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in an unsold pilot produced by Bruce Paltrow. His contribution to CBS's after-school special My Summer as a Girl in 1994 made it to the television screen, but, by that time, he had a significantly more notable role under his belt: the teenaged son of two neurotic New Yorkers (Woody Allen and Diane Keaton) in Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993). Though moderately successful in his childhood and late teens, Braff opted to attend college at Northwestern University rather than making an immediate transition to a full-time career of pursuing roles in the wilds of Los Angeles. While at Northwestern, Braff wrote and directed several short films, among them Lionel on a Sunday, which fared successfully in the 1998 festival season. The young actor went on to co-star in Getting to Know You, an adaptation of various short stories penned by author Joyce Carol Oates, which won praise at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999. After a role as a homosexual drug addict in The Broken Hearts Club (2000), which won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film, Braff auditioned for Scrubs; despite his prior experience, the sitcom undoubtedly became his breakout role. Indeed, his Scrubs success helped Braff write, direct, and star in Garden State (2003) opposite Natalie Portman and Ian Holm. Braff credits the late John Ritter as one of his foremost inspirations.
BRAFF AND MOORE SEPARATE
Scrubs star Zach Braff and Mandy Moore have ended their relationship, according to media reports in the US. The couple have reportedly gone their separate ways, mainly due to the nine-year age gap between them. Us Weekly West Coast Editor Ian Drew says, "They both decided that after two years, Mandy was a little young. Zach was ready for something different and they wanted to just kind of test the waters a little bit. It was an amicable break." A source tells the American magazine, "Mandy was very young when they got together and she wanted to see what's out there, now that she's a woman. Zach was mature and realized it is time to let her do that."
The pair have been tight-lipped about their relationship, but the 22-year-old singer launched a scathing attack on tabloid journalists earlier this week, who reported on the rumored break-up. She wrote on her website, "I believe that personal issues (like this one) should be kept private. This sort of unscrupulous conduct should be unethical for the media to practice and I'm sickened by the extent that these people are willing to go to make a name for themselves." The 31-year-old Garden State star has wasted no time moving on, he was recently seen partying with pals at Hollywood hot spot Hyde on June 8 and unsuccessfully romancing Jessica Simpson.
