I Rewatched "Scrubs" For The First Time In 20 Years — These Are The Celebrity Cameos That Took Me By Surprise

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08-04-2025

Scrubs is one of those shows that will always be funny. I loved watching it when it was originally on between 2001 and 2010 — although I have to admit I dipped out after the original cast was replaced in Season 9.
But I recently rediscovered the show on Disney + and I've been bingeing every episode. Unlike Friends or Seinfeld, Scrubs doesn't have a laughter track (which can sometimes be super off-putting), and honestly, it effortlessly blends laugh-out-loud comedy moments with serious, thought-provoking drama.
Another reason Scrubs is so enjoyable after all these years is how creative the writing is. Like in the episode where they pay homage to The Wizard of Oz with clever references to the movie throughout the episode or the now-viral episode where J.D. utters the infamous line to Dr. Cox: "Where do you think we are?" (IYKYK 😭).
Something I wasn't expecting, though, was just how many big-name celebrities would pop up throughout the seasons. It's been a couple of decades (wow, I feel old), so each time a now-huge star appeared, it had me pointing at the screen saying, "Omg!" Here are the top celebrity cameos from Scrubs that I bet you don't remember:
1. Matthew Perry
ABC
The late, great Matthew Perry is, of course, best known as Chandler from Friends. But in November 2004, just a few months after Friends ended, Perry appeared as air traffic controller Murray Marks in the Season 4 episode of Scrubs"My Unicorn." Not only did Perry appear as a character, but he also directed the episode. What's more, he starred alongside his real-life dad, John Bennett Perry, who played his character's father, Gregory. So that's why they look so alike...
2. Courteney Cox
ABC
Matthew Perry's fellow Friends alum (and on-screen wife) Courteney Cox also graced Scrubs with her presence in a three-episode arc during Season 8. Cox played Dr. Maddox, the new Chief of Medicine, who shook up the established dynamics at Sacred Heart and brought a more business-oriented and less emotionally driven approach to the hospital. Unlike her co-stars Jennifer Anniston and Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox didn't appear in a ton of movies and TV shows after Friends ended. This stint in Scrubs came after she starred as Lucy Spiller in the FX television drama series Dirt and before starring in the more successful Cougar Town, which ran for six seasons.
3. James Michael Tyler
ABC
Okay, one last Friends star (I promise). I had to include the late James Michael Tyler, as his character Gunther in Friends was so loveable (yet so pitiful), and I was genuinely surprised and delighted when he popped up on my screen while watching Scrubs. He made a brief but memorable appearance in the Season 5 episode "My Faith in Humanity" as Turk and Carla's couples counselor. His presence added a unique and recognizable face to the episode, and his portrayal of the counselor was fitting, bringing a calm but slightly quirky demeanor to the role.
4. Michael J. Fox
ABC
Moving on to movie stars now, and Michael J. Fox's appearance on Scrubs in Season 3 left a lasting impression. Fox is, of course, well known for playing Marty McFly in Back to the Future. In Scrubs, he portrayed Dr. Kevin Casey, a brilliant surgeon grappling with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Fox's character offered a poignant and insightful look at life with OCD, which was definitely a misunderstood condition back in the noughties, and his presence added a layer of depth and emotional resonance to the show.
5. Jason Bateman
ABC
This one definitely took me by surprise, and honestly? It took me a minute to realize it was him. Fans of the irreverent comedy series Arrested Development will recognize Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth, and he's gone on to star in numerous movies and TV shows, from Netflix's dark drama Ozark to the comedy movie franchise Horrible Bosses. In the Season 5 episode of Scrubs, "My Big Bird," Jason Bateman appeared as Mr. Sutton, a sanitation worker with a rather unique and somewhat dangerous hobby: raising ostriches. Bateman's character was decidedly cantankerous, and his ability to play such an offbeat character fit perfectly within the show's quirky and surreal world.
6. Ryan Reynolds
ABC
Ryan Reynolds is, of course, well known for playing Deadpool and Green Lantern, as well as starring in various noughties rom-coms like Definitely, Maybe. Back in 2003, just as his career was about to take off, Ryan Reynolds made a guest appearance on Scrubs in the Season 2 finale "My Dream Job." He played Spence, a college friend of J.D. and Turk — a character that catalyzed the two to confront the growing divide between their carefree past and their demanding present as doctors.
7. Colin Farrell
ABC
One thing I loved about Colin Farrell's appearance in Scrubs is that he was basically just playing himself. The Irish actor has starred in a ton of movies, from In Bruges to Minority Report, and of course, his huge role as The Penguin in the 2022 movie The Batman. In Scrubs, Farrell pops up in the Season 4 episode "My Lucky Day," and it was a brief but impactful cameo. He played Billy Callahan, who arrives at the hospital after a bar fight (I won't give too much away if you feel inspired to rewatch the show after reading this). Billy's charm and apparent good fortune initially irritate Turk, who is experiencing a run of bad luck. However, Billy's optimistic outlook and philosophical musings subtly influence Turk's perspective.
8. Mandy Moore
ABC
Fans of the drama series This Is Us (i.e., yours truly) will easily recognize Mandy Moore as Rebecca Pearson. She's multitalented, starting her career as a musician, as well as starring in the super iconic 2002 romance movie A Walk To Remember and providing the voice of Rapunzel in the 2010 Disney movie Tangled. Between all that, Moore appeared on Scrubs during Season 5 as Julie Quinn, who J.D. dates for a few episodes. Her main quirk was that she was super clumsy — relatable.
9. And Elizabeth Banks
IMDb / Via imdb.com
Elizabeth Banks is one of those actors who pops up everywhere, from playing Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games franchise to starring in numerous rom-coms and comedies, like the Pitch Perfec t movies. Fans of Modern Family will also recognize her from her recurring role as Sal, a friend of Cam and Mitchell. But before all that, back in 2006, Banks appeared in Scrubs as Dr. Kim Briggs, a skilled attending physician at Sacred Heart. I won't give too much away if you want to go back and watch the show, as her character causes quite a lot of drama, and telling you too much would be a major spoiler. But let's just say her character was pretty significant, and her recurring role shook up a lot of relationships...