In 2004, Mandy Moore and Zach Braff began a discreet romance that surprised many due to their contrasting public images and the nine-year age difference between them. Moore, then a 20-year-old pop star and teen movie actress, was fresh from a high-profile breakup with tennis player Andy Roddick. Braff, nine years her senior, was established as the star of the TV series Scrubs and a respected figure in the indie film community. Their relationship first became noticeable when they were seen together at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, arriving separately but spending the evening closely connected.
A Mostly Private Relationship With Public Moments
The Mandy Moore Zach Braff romance spanned approximately two years, during which they maintained a relatively low profile. Despite keeping things quiet, the couple was occasionally spotted sharing tender moments around Los Angeles, such as public lunches, and they made select appearances together, including at the 2006 Golden Globes. Moore reflected on the secretive nature of their relationship in a 2006 interview, explaining,
“I thought people knew we were dating and just knew we were quiet about it,”
—Mandy Moore, interview with Cosmopolitan.
One memorable highlight of their time together was when Moore guest-starred on Scrubs as Braff’s character’s love interest. Moore later described the experience warmly to The AV Club in 2023, stating,
“I was dating Zach Braff at the time, so I spent a lot of time on that set. I felt comfortable around everyone, so it felt like an easy foray for dipping my toes into TV. Honestly, I was flattered they asked me. It wasn’t an assumption that I’d cameo because he’s my boyfriend. It’s a beloved show. I was honored that was my first experience.”
—Mandy Moore, The AV Club 2023.
Why Their Relationship Came to an End
By mid-2006, the couple decided to part ways amicably. According to an insider speaking exclusively to Us Weekly, the age difference and personal growth played key roles:
“They both decided that after two years, Mandy was a little young,”
they explained.
“Zach was ready for something different and they wanted to just kind of test the waters a little bit. It was an amicable break. Mandy was very young when they got together and she wanted to see what’s out there, now that she’s a woman. Zach was mature and realised it is time to let her do that.”
—Insider, Us Weekly, 2006.
The Mutual Respect and Admiration in Their Relationship
Although the couple kept most of their feelings private, Moore shared insights about Braff during their time together. In a 2006 Elle magazine interview, she expressed appreciation for his personality, saying,
“I like a good Jewish boy,”
—Mandy Moore, Elle 2006. She complimented his humor and support, mentioning to Cosmopolitan,
“It’s just nice to be with anyone who’s supportive of what you do and proud of you and respects you and respects your work,”
and added,
“I feel lucky to be with someone who’s like that.”
—Mandy Moore, Cosmopolitan 2006.
Processing the Breakup Through Music and Reflection
After their separation, Moore turned to songwriting as a therapeutic outlet. Her 2007 album Wild Hope was influenced by her experience with Braff and the end of their relationship. Speaking with Marie Claire, Moore remarked,
“I’m sure he’ll hear all about the record,”
and humorously added,
“[The] poor guy’s probably heard about it in every interview.”
—Mandy Moore, Marie Claire.
Some of the lyrics, notably
“You said you could be good, but somehow you’re guilty / And you’re not even sorry,”
are believed to reference Braff, though Moore remained vague on specifics. She emphasized that the album was a broader reflection of her feelings:
“It doesn’t worry me because the record’s not necessarily all about him,”
and explained,
“It’s my point of view and my experience. I wouldn’t know what else to write about other than how I really feel. But selfishly or not, I wanted clarity on certain situations and how I was feeling about certain things, and that’s what propelled me to write.”
—Mandy Moore, Marie Claire.
Moore described their relationship as quiet, stating they
“weren’t, like, a big ‘going out’ couple,”
and referred to their split as “a bummer” and
“the icing of a really bad cake. The burned cake”
during a difficult period of her life. In 2007, she opened up to Jane magazine about her mental health struggles, saying,
“A few months ago I felt really low, really sad. Depressed for no reason. I’m a very positive person, and I’ve always been glass-half-full. So it was like someone flipped a switch in me. I wanted to figure out why. The breakup added to what I was going through, but it’s not the complete reason. It definitely doesn’t help if you’re already in that place.”
—Mandy Moore, Jane magazine 2007.
Ultimately, Moore credited the songwriting process with helping her heal. “Writing has been really therapeutic,” she said, and added,
“These little nuggets that have come up over the past eight months have made me look at things in a different way.”
—Mandy Moore, Jane magazine 2007.
Zach Braff’s Perspective on Dating in the Spotlight
Years after their split, Braff spoke candidly about the challenges of dating celebrities during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show in 2014. He remarked,
“Remember, I did that once before when I dated Mandy Moore and it was not a good — I didn’t like it,”
and elaborated that public scrutiny made such relationships difficult. Braff recalled advice from his publicist following their breakup:
“When my relationship with Mandy ended, she [my publicist] said, ‘I’m going to give you a hint that you should know. If you don’t date these 25 girls, your life will be so much easier.’ And she was kind of exaggerating because there’s more than those 25 girls, but in so many words, if you can, don’t date other famous people. If you’re going to hook up with a famous girl, that might be fun for your ego, but you don’t want to be out in public dating a famous girl because then they follow you everywhere you go.”
—Zach Braff, The Howard Stern Show 2014.
Despite this cautionary view, Braff later dated other well-known women, most notably actress Florence Pugh from 2019 to 2022. Their relationship generated attention due to their 21-year age gap.
Growth and Life After Their Relationship
The experiences Moore had during and after her relationship with Braff contributed to her personal development. Reflecting on this period, she told Jane,
“I’ve been going through this really crazy time in my life,”
and compared it to typical post-college self-discovery, explaining,
“It’s what I imagine people fresh out of college go through. I’m asking myself life-altering questions, like ‘Who am I? Where do I fit in this world? What am I doing, what do I want to do? Am I living to my full potential?’”
—Mandy Moore, Jane magazine.
Moore’s next notable relationship was with singer-songwriter Ryan Adams. They married but divorced in 2016 after six years together. More recently, she has found stability with musician Taylor Goldsmith, whom she married in 2018. The couple now has three children under the age of four: sons August (born 2021) and Oscar (born 2022), and daughter Louise, born in 2024.
Zach Braff has continued to date younger partners, currently involved with singer Frances Whitney, who is 24 years younger than him, marking an even larger age difference than in his previous relationships.
