Coming together — via video. On Tuesday, April 7, House alum Olivia Wilde kicked off an Instagram video in which multiple actors who have portrayed doctors and nurses on TV paid tribute to the real healthcare workers who are putting their lives on the line during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The closest I’ve ever come to being a doctor is putting on a costume,” Wilde, 36, says at the beginning of the video. “And while it is close, it is not quite the same. I just want to say thank you to all the real healthcare heroes out there.”
With that, a montage titled “First Responders First” kicks off and many TV stars join in, including five former House stars: Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, Kal Penn and Peter Jacobson.
Neil Patrick Harris, who famously portrayed child doctor Doogie Howser on Doogie Howser, M.D., plays a large part in the video.
“I’m not a doctor, but I was paid to be one on TV,” he says before joking. “I wish I was there with you guys to assist in my medical capacity, but probably all I would be doing would be writing prescriptions for myself, which is kind of all I did when Iw was 16,17. I’d rather not talk about that time in my life.”
The video also features former Scrubs stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke and Donald Faison, former Grey’s Anatomy cast members Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh and ER alum Julianna Margulies and Maura Tierney. Additionally, Edie Falco from Nurse Jackie and Freddie Highmore from The Good Doctor appear.
The How I Met Your Mother alum, 46, later notes that he’s speaking to his kids about the work the nurses and doctors are doing.
“Please know that when I talk about how to be as a human, who you should grow up to be as an adult, I’m using you all as true examples to my children,” he says.
Jennifer Garner, who played a doctor in the movie Dallas Buyers Club, also makes a cameo.
“No matter how many times we wear scrubs or stethoscopes, none of us can do for society what all of you are doing for us now,” the 47-year-old actress says. “Thank you.”
At the end of the video, a message was displayed on the screen: “Thank you for your courage, your sacrifice and for being the best of us.”
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