As the fifth season of The Good Doctor airs, it remains one of ABC’s most popular TV shows. This isn’t surprising, considering that the medical drama has continued to provide viewers with compelling stories about the characters and their complex relationships over the years. But these stories would not be as believable and intriguing without the talented ensemble cast.
Even with the exits of season regulars Nicholas Gonzalez and Antonia Thomas, whose characters were foundational to the show, the new characters have already meaningfully left their own marks on the narrative.
Rachel Bay Jones – Dear Evan Hansen, Modern Family, God Friended Me
As a recent addition to the recurring cast of The Good Doctor, actress Rachel Bay Jones is best known for her many roles on stage. Her evocative performance as the mother in the musical Dear Evan Hansen, a popular coming-of-age musical, earned her a Daytime Emmy Award, Grammy Award, and Tony Award.
Jones also had a recurring role on Modern Family as Dylan’s unconventional, formerly estranged mother, Farrah Marshall, who immediately tries to dictate how and where Haley should be giving birth after arriving at the Dunphy’s home. She also appeared as Susan Levine in God Friended Me, a show about a man named Miles who receives a Facebook friend request from an account with the name “God” who connects him with other people on Facebook that need his help.
Noah Galvin – Les Miserables, The Real O’Neals, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
Like his co-star Rachel Bay Jones, Noah Galvin has had a prolific career on stage. His first stage role was in the national tour of Les Misérables as Gavroche, a young boy whose heroism is on display when he goes to help the other revolutionaries during the uprising against the French monarchy and is heinously murdered.
Galvin portrayed Kenny O’Neal in the ABC sitcom The Real O’Neals, which follows the Catholic O’Neal family whose lives are changed when Kenny comes out to them. This prompts his siblings and even his parents to make revelations of their own, going against the grain of what is expected of them, however, this is what ultimately brings their family closer together. Galvin guest starred on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and took part in the powerful opening musical number, “Overwhelmed” by Royal & The Serpent, which was about anxiety.
Bria Samoné Henderson – Mrs. America, Prepared
While Bria Samoné Henderson’s breakout role was playing resident Dr. Jordan Allen on The Good Doctor, she has previously been seen in several smaller roles in noteworthy projects.
Henderson had a recurring role in the miniseries Mrs. America, set in the 1970s, where she played Margaret Sloan-Hunter, who was a real-life, staunch civil rights activist and LGBTQ+ advocate, as well as an editor of the feminist Ms. Magazine. She also played Mia in Prepared, a short film focusing on Black female empowerment through the act of self-love. Fans of Henderson’s performances thus far will be excited to see what the future has in store for her.
Will Yun Lee – Elektra, The Wolverine, Hawaii Five-O, Altered Carbon
Will Yun Lee’s acting career began in the late ’90s, and since then he’s acted in a wide range of roles. He expertly played the nefarious assassin Kirigi in Elektra and the adroit archer Kenuichio Harada, leader of the Black Clan, who becomes Logan’s unexpected ally in The Wolverine. Additionally, he played the recurring antagonist Sang Min in Hawaii Five-O and the original Takeshi Kovacs, the main protagonist in Altered Carbon.
Yun Lee recently voiced Joseph in the English dubbed version of the highly anticipated upcoming anime, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, which is set in the world of the Blade Runner franchise. He also lent his voice to several video games, including Mortal Kombat X and Yazuka: Like A Dragon.
Fiona Gubelmann – Wilfred, One Day At A Time, New Girl
American actress Fiona Gubelmann’s first starring role in a television series was on Wilfred as Jenna Mueller, the next-door neighbor to Elijah Wood’s character, Ryan Newman, who has the unique ability to see Jenna’s dog Wilfred as a talking man in a dog suit. She had a recurring role as Lori on the sitcom One Day At A Time, who was the antithesis of the protagonist Penelope, causing their interactions in these episodes to be particularly entertaining to watch.
Gubelmann has also guest-starred on a variety of TV shows, including the sitcoms New Girl, and Modern Family, as well as the fan-favorite dramas Castle and Mad Men. Her aptitude for comedic and dramatic roles is evident in each of her performances.
Paige Spara – Kevin From Work, Home Again, After The Hurricane
Despite having a short list of acting credits, Paige Spara has left a lasting impression on fans in her breakout role as the strong-willed, kindhearted Lea on The Good Doctor. Spara’s early acting credits were in the short films Prospect Street, What Showers Bring, and After The Hurricane.
Spara landed her first main role on television in ABC’s short-lived sitcom Kevin From Work, where she played Audrey Piatigorsky, Kevin’s coworker, whose love for her is unrequited. She also had a minor role in the film Home Again, starring Reese Witherspoon, as a mother who invites three prospective filmmakers to reside at her guest house.
Christina Chang – 24, CSI: Miami, Desperate Housewives
Taiwanese-American actress Christina Chang has had dozens of roles on television, showing her versatility to convincingly play roles spanning multiple genres. Fans might recognize from her recurring roles as Dr. Sunny Macer in 24, Attorney Nevins in CSI: Miami, Dr. Vanessa Hoyt in Private Practice, D.A. Stone in Desperate Housewives, and Megan Vannoy in Nashville.
She appeared in an episode of The West Wing as Alex, a NASA scientist who attempted to change Josh’s negative perception of her proposed manned Mars mission by taking him to view Mars through a telescope. She also played Kiki, Vince Korsak’s life-coach turned love interest in the crime drama TV show, Rizzoli & Isles.
Richard Schiff – The West Wing, Ballers, Se7en
Before Richard Schiff began portraying Dr. Glassman on The Good Doctor, he was best known for his role as the White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler on the popular political drama series, The West Wing. Schiff received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for this portrayal. He is also known for playing Brett Anderson aka “The Old Man”, a supporting character on HBO’s Ballers.
One of Schiff’s most memorable movie roles was his performance as John Doe’s attorney in Se7en, which tells a story about two detectives working to capture a serial killer referred to as “John Doe,” whose themed murders were inspired by the seven deadly sins. He can also be seen in the films The Lost World: Jurassic Park, I Am Sam, and Man of Steel.
Hill Harper – CSI: NY, The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, ER
Hill Harper is a seasoned actor, who has made numerous appearances in films and popular TV shows. Many of Harper’s early roles were as a guest star on major TV shows in the 1990s, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, ER, and NYPD Blue. He also had a recurring role as a high school football player on Married… with Children.
Harper previously had several leading roles on television, but he is best known for his critically-acclaimed performance on CSI: NY as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes, who leaves the medical field to become a detective. In addition to Harper’s array of TV roles, he has also been in multiple movies, including The Visit, Constellation, and The Sun Is Also A Star.
Freddie Highmore – Finding Neverland, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Bates Motel
Freddie Highmore had been acting for nearly two decades and received several accolades prior to being nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying Dr. Shaun Murphy. Two of his early film roles, when he was a child actor, saw him starring alongside Johnny Depp. Highmore played a young Peter Llewelyn Davies in Finding Neverland and Charlie Bucket in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His additional notable film roles include August Rush, The Golden Compass, and The Spiderwick Chronicles.
Highmore is readily recognizable to fans of Bates Motel for portraying a younger version of serial killer Norman Bates, a character that originated in Robert Bloch’s novel Psycho, which was subsequently adapted into a psychological horror film of the same name in 1960. His interpretation of Norman as he transformed into an unhinged, dastardly murderer was praised by both critics and fans.
