# Donald Faison
**Donald Faison** (full name Donald Adeosun Faison, born 1974) is an American actor and voice actor best known for playing Dr. Christopher Turk on the medical comedy-drama *Scrubs* and for the role of Murray in the 1995 teen comedy *Clueless* and its television spin-off.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) In 2026 he returned to the role of Turk in ABC's revival of *Scrubs*, on which he also serves as an executive producer.[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, New York City, New York, USA; full name Donald Adeosun Faison[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) |
| Signature role | Dr. Christopher Turk on *Scrubs*, NBC 2001–08 and ABC 2008–10, 182 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/) |
| Breakthrough | Murray in *Clueless* (1995); reprised the role on the TV spin-off from 1996 to 1999[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) |
| Film debut | A student in *Juice* (1992), opposite Tupac Shakur[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/263096) |
| Other notable films | *Remember the Titans* (2000) as Petey; *Kick-Ass 2* (2013) as Dr. Gravity[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/263096) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/) |
| 2026 revival | Stars as Turk and executive produces ABC's *Scrubs* revival[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/) |
| Podcast | Co-hosts *Fake Doctors, Real Friends* with Zach Braff for iHeartRadio[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/) |
## Early life and training
Faison was born in New York City to Shirley, a talent agent, and Donald Faison, an actor and building manager; both parents were members of the National Black Theatre in Harlem.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) He has described watching his mother direct rehearsals in the empty theater and named her his biggest hero.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) His first training ground was the theater's on-site community school, the Children's School for the Development of Intuitive and God-Conscious Art.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/donald-faison/) At the age of six he co-wrote and acted in a play called *When the Lion Roars*, and he made home movies with his younger brothers Dade and Olamide.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison)
**Early professional work.** His first professional job was a television commercial for Oatmeal Raisin Crisp, followed by a recurring role on *Sesame Street* and appearances in specials with 1980s celebrities including [Marlo Thomas](https://www.edgepedia.org/marlo-thomas) and [Bobby McFerrin](https://www.edgepedia.org/bobby-mcferrin).[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) He studied acting at Manhattan's Professional Children's School and attended the LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts, graduating in 1992.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison)
## Breakthrough with Clueless
Faison made his major film debut in 1992 as a student in the Harlem-set crime drama *Juice*, opposite rapper [Tupac Shakur](https://www.edgepedia.org/tupac-shakur).[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/263096) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) He then took teen roles in urban dramas such as *Sugar Hill* with [Wesley Snipes](https://www.edgepedia.org/wesley-snipes) and *New Jersey Drive*.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/donald-faison/)
The 1995 release of *Clueless*, [Amy Heckerling](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-heckerling)'s update of [Jane Austen](https://www.edgepedia.org/jane-austen)'s *Emma*, made him a famous face.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) He played Murray, Dionne's boyfriend, alongside a cast including [Alicia Silverstone](https://www.edgepedia.org/alicia-silverstone), Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, and Paul Rudd.[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/donald_faison) The film became a cult classic and inspired a television series of the same name, on which Faison reprised the role of Murray from 1996 to 1999.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) The same year he appeared as Loretta Devine's son in the ensemble drama *Waiting to Exhale*, and he later had a recurring role on ABC's *Sabrina, the Teenage Witch* as a warlock love interest.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/donald-faison/)
## Scrubs and Dr. Christopher Turk
Faison's defining television role came as surgeon Dr. Christopher Turk on *Scrubs*, which ran on NBC from 2001 to 2008 and on ABC for its final seasons through 2010; he appeared in 182 episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/donald-faison/) The series, created by Bill Lawrence, centered on the friendship between Turk and John "J.D." Dorian, played by [Zach Braff](https://www.edgepedia.org/zach-braff), and earned multiple awards for the two performers.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/donald-faison/) • [7](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/scrubs-reboot-male-friendship/686723/)
The J.D. and Turk partnership outlasted the original run. Braff and Faison are friends in real life as on screen: Faison was married in Braff's backyard, Braff is godfather to two of Faison's children, and Lawrence sometimes incorporated anecdotes from their real friendship into the scripts.[7](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/scrubs-reboot-male-friendship/686723/) Since 2020 the two have hosted a *Scrubs* rewatch podcast, *Fake Doctors, Real Friends*, for iHeartRadio, and they co-starred in a series of T-Mobile commercials.[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/) • [7](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/scrubs-reboot-male-friendship/686723/)
A ninth season focused on medical students rather than the original cast, and creator Bill Lawrence has said it was conceived as a spin-off that was to be called *Scrubs Med*.[8](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/scrubs-season-9-polarized-fans-creator-bill-lawrence-why-never-talk-s-about-it)
## Film and television career beyond Scrubs
While on *Scrubs*, Faison worked steadily in film, often in comedy. His credits include *Remember the Titans* (2000) as Petey, *Big Fat Liar* (2002) as Frank Jackson, *Uptown Girls* (2003) as Huey, *King's Ransom* (2005), *Something New* (2006) as Nelson McQueen, *Next Day Air* (2009), the science-fiction film *Skyline* (2010), *Little Evil* (2017), and *Kick-Ass 2* (2013) as Dr. Gravity.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/263096) • [3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/) On review aggregates, his highest-rated film appearance on Rotten Tomatoes is *Robot Chicken: Star Wars* (2007) at 86 percent, and his lowest is *King's Ransom* (2005) at 2 percent.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/donald_faison)
After *Scrubs* ended, Faison stayed primarily on television. He starred as Phil Chase in the [TV Land](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-land) sitcom *The Exes* from 2011 to 2015, and played dramatic parts in the NBC crime series *Emergence* opposite [Allison Tolman](https://www.edgepedia.org/allison-tolman), *Ray Donovan* and *The L Word: Generation Q* at Showtime, and *Unsolved* for [USA Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-network).[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/donald-faison/) He also starred in NBC's sitcom *Extended Family* opposite Jon Cryer and Abigail Spencer.[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/)
**Voice acting.** Faison has an extensive voice career, with roles on *Robot Chicken* (playing dozens of characters including [Nick Fury](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-fury), Mufasa, and [Lex Luthor](https://www.edgepedia.org/lex-luthor)), *Star Wars: The Clone Wars*, *Star Wars Resistance* as Hype Fazon, *Adventure Time*, *Clone High* as [George Washington Carver](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-washington-carver), and *Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur*.[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/donald-faison/) He created and voices the lead role in the Adult Swim animated series *Alabama Jackson*.[3](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/)
## The 2026 Scrubs revival
In February 2026, Faison returned as Turk in ABC's revival of *Scrubs*, premiering February 25, alongside Braff as J.D. and [Sarah Chalke](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-chalke) as Elliot Reid; all three star and executive produce.[10](https://apnews.com/article/395e9e6ccedc62c2880439858574e62f) • [11](https://abc.com/show/b775fccd-63aa-4968-b23b-aec5de29d9e0/about-the-show) In the new series, Turk is chief of surgery at Sacred Heart, still married to Carla (Judy Reyes) and now the father of four daughters, while the original interns face a changed medical system and a new generation of physicians.[7](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/scrubs-reboot-male-friendship/686723/) • [11](https://abc.com/show/b775fccd-63aa-4968-b23b-aec5de29d9e0/about-the-show) The revival was produced by 20th Television with Bill Lawrence and his Doozer Productions among the executive producers.[11](https://abc.com/show/b775fccd-63aa-4968-b23b-aec5de29d9e0/about-the-show)
## Personal life
Faison married Cacee Cobb on December 15, 2012, and they have two children; he was previously married to Lisa Askey.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/) From his first marriage he has twins Kaya and Dade and son Kobe, as well as son Sean from a previous relationship.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison) He has described himself as deliberately protective of family privacy, and his public activity centers on his projects and occasional convention appearances rather than a constant news cycle.[12](https://xb-thermos.re.cse.org.uk/article/donald-faison-profile-career-and-public-persona)
## References
1. [Donald Faison, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0265668/)
2. [Donald Faison, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/donald-faison)
3. [Donald Faison, ABC Press biography](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/donald-faison/)
4. [Donald Faison, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/263096)
5. [Donald Faison, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/donald-faison/)
6. [Donald Faison, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/donald_faison)
7. [Scrubs Has a Sneakily Radical Vision of Male Friendship, The Atlantic (2026)](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/scrubs-reboot-male-friendship/686723/)
8. [Scrubs Season 9 Polarized Fans, CinemaBlend interview with Bill Lawrence](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/scrubs-season-9-polarized-fans-creator-bill-lawrence-why-never-talk-s-about-it)
9. [Donald Faison, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/donald-faison/)
10. [Scrubs revival brings back the old goofy gang, AP News (2026)](https://apnews.com/article/395e9e6ccedc62c2880439858574e62f)
11. [About Scrubs, ABC.com](https://abc.com/show/b775fccd-63aa-4968-b23b-aec5de29d9e0/about-the-show)
12. [Donald Faison: Profile, Career, and Public Persona](https://xb-thermos.re.cse.org.uk/article/donald-faison-profile-career-and-public-persona)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license