Olivia Wilde, Patrick Dempsey, Neil Patrick Harris and other 'fake' TV doctors thank 'real health care heroes'
It's one thing to play a doctor on TV, but it's a whole other thing to save lives in the real world.
For World Health Day on Tuesday, Olivia Wilde shared a video of herself and other actors who portrayed doctors on the small screen expressing their admiration for health care workers.
"On behalf of fake doctors everywhere, we want to thank the actual healthcare superheroes on the front lines of this crisis," she wrote in the caption, referencing the novel coronavirus pandemic and urging everyone to donate to "first responders who are risking their lives for us."
"The closest thing I've ever come to being a doctor is putting on a costume, and while it is close, it's not quite the same," Wilde -- who starred on "House" -- said at the video's start. "But I just want to say thank you to the real health care heroes out there, and there are some other people who want to say thank you as well."
Wilde wasn't the only "House" alum to take part, as Lisa Edelstein, Jennifer Morrison, Omar Epps, Peter Jacobson and Kal Penn also appeared. Aside from them, there were "Grey's Anatomy" stars (Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh), "ER" stars (Julianna Margulies and Maura Tierney) and "Scrubs" stars (Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke), too.
Those who were sole representatives of their respective shows included Neil Patrick Harris ("Doogie Howser, M.D."), Freddie Highmore ("The Good Doctor") and Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie"). Jennifer Garner was the only movie doctor depicted, having played one in the Oscar-winning film "Dallas Buyers Club."
"I'm not a doctor, but I was paid to be one on TV. I'm pretty sure that's the expression," Harris said, bringing a bit of the levity we've come to expect from him.
Dempsey, for his part, kept things serious, saying, "I want to thank all the doctors and the nurses. The real ones, not the ones that are on television."
