Zachary Quinto Plays a Doctor on ‘Brilliant Minds,’ But Don’t Call Him for Medical Advice

“It is really funny to actually be in a position where I can literally say, ‘I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV.'”

Zachary Quinto has played doctors before, but he’s “never played a doctor like” the one he plays on NBC’s Brilliant Minds (September 23). Quinto plays Dr. Oliver Wolf, “based on a real-life person called Oliver Sacks, who was a world renowned, iconic neurologist and prolific author, complex, interesting, dynamic, beautiful person.” One of the things that stood out to Quinto was how unique the show is. “There have been so many wonderful and influential medical dramas over the years, and a lot of them deal with cases that are easily identifiable or solvable…in our show, the mysteries don’t often have a fix. I love living in that space of the unknown.” Quinto is most proud of being part of a show that often has a hopeful message. “It’s looking toward the light. That’s something I think we can all use a little bit more of.” But Quinto doesn’t feel the pressure to sell the show, partly because it has “humor and heart and light and love, but also substance.” “I’m not really interested in having my experience or my life be dictated by things that I have no control over.”

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Editor’s Note: This conversation has been edited and condensed for publication.