Zach Braff, South Orange native and graduate of Columbia High School Class of 1993, has all of South Orange and Maplewood rooting for him to win an Emmy for directing on September 19.
The star of television (Scrubs) and film (Garden State) is nominated for directing the second episode (“Biscuits”) of the first season of Tad Lasso, starring and produced by Jason Sudeikis. (Braff is an actor/director/writer/producer who has previously won a Grammy as compilation producer for the soundtrack to his film Garden State.)
When he visited his alma mater Columbia High School to be inducted into the CHS Hall of Fame in 2015, he noted that he was 10 years behind his classmate Lauryn Hill in gaining the honor — and deservedly so. Watch this video to hear Braff poke fun at himself for not being able “to get cast in anything” as Hill made her acting breakthrough with a soap opera and the film Sister Act.
His advice to CHS students: “You can’t fail if you don’t give up.”
Current CHS Principal Frank Sanchez provided some encouragement in a twitter post (and, yes, Village Green will post about SZA’s VMA as well — hard to keep up with these amazing CHS grads!):
Last week CHS Hall of Fame alumnae @sza won an @MTV VMA Award. Let’s all wish CHS Hall of Fame alum @zachbraff much luck tomorrow night @TheEmmys for his Outstanding Directing nomination for his work on @TedLasso! #CougarNation #ColumbiaHighSchool pic.twitter.com/RoW3z04n0z
— Columbia High School Principal (@CHSPrincipalNJ) September 18, 2021
