EXCLUSIVE: The Good Doctor is getting a fitting conclusion with one of its most popular characters, Dr. Claire Brown, returning. Original cast member Antonia Thomas, who starred as Claire in the first four seasons of the ABC medical drama, will be back for two episodes in the current seventh season, including the series finale. Another Good Doctor alum, Brandon Larracuente, also will be back reprising his Season 6 character of Dr. Daniel Perez in one episode. Additionally, Ruby Kelley (PUSH) has joined in a recurring role and Guillermo Diaz (Scandal) will appear in a guest spot.
Thomas’ Dr. Claire Brown, who was Dr. Shaun Murphy’s (Freddie Highmore) closest friend and confidant, departed The Good Doctor at the conclusion of Season 4 to take a job at a medical clinic in Guatemala. Thomas returned at the end of Season 5 as a guest star for two episodes where she surprised Shaun and Lea (Paige Spara) at their bachelor/bachelorette party. Claire took the stage to sing her version of Diddy/Faith Evans “I’ll Be Missing You” and announces she’s been offered the job of Chief of Surgery at the hospital in Guatemala.
The return of Thomas could provide closure to one of The Good Doctor’s original couples, Claire and Dr. Jared Kalu (Chuku Modu) when they were both surgical residents in Season 1.
Dr. Kalu got into trouble for punching a doctor who had sexually harassed his girlfriend Claire (Thomas), which ultimately led to his departure for a surgeon job in Colorado at the end of the season. Modu returned as a recurring guest star in Season 6 and was promoted to a series regular for the seventh and final season.
Larracuente was introduced in Episode 2 of Season 6. Initially set to recur, he was quickly promoted to a series regular, with Daniel, a first-year surgical resident at St. Bonaventure Hospital, getting a major storyline involving a drug overdose that put him on probation. Larracuente departed at the end of Season 6 after Daniel was put on pain medications following a car crash and headed back to his family in Texas for recovery treatment.
Ruby Kelley and Guillermo Diaz
Eve Gagne/Luke Fontana
Kelley will recur as Hannah, a young woman who has suffered from pressure headaches for years and labeled a “drug seeker” by doctors, comes into the hospital seeking opioids, but Dr. Glassman believes she has an undiagnosed medical issue that needs to be treated.
Diaz will guest star as Man/Carl/Jesus. A mysterious man shows up to the hospital to donate his kidney to a complete stranger, but his reasoning causes Jordan to question his ability to give informed consent.
Starring Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy and Richard Schiff as Shaun’s mentor Dr. Glassman, main cast also includes Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park, Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim, Spara as Lea Dilallo, Bria Samoné Henderson as Dr. Jordan Allen, Noah Galvin as Dr. Asher Wolke and Modu as Dr. Jared Kalu.
The Good Doctor is produced by Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. David Shore and Liz Friedman are executive producers and co-showrunners. Daniel Dae Kim, Erin Gunn, Freddie Highmore, Thomas L. Moran, David Hoselton, Peter Blake, Jessica Grasl, Garrett Lerner, Mike Listo, Shawn Williamson, David Kim and Sebastian Lee are also executive producers.
Most recently, Thomas starred opposite Craig Roberts in Apple TV+ comedy Still Up. She also recently appeared in Netflix comedy series Lovesick. She’s repped by Curtis Brown Group in the UK, Gersh and Principal Entertainment LA.
Known for his roles in Bloodline, 13 Reasons Why and Party of Five, Larracuente will next star in the Prime Video drama series On Call from Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television. He’s repped by A Management Company, Global Artists Agency and Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson + Christopher.
Rising New York-based actress Kelley co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the short film PUSH, which won the Audience Award at the 2022 48 Hour Film Project Festival in NYC. She’s repped by Paradigm and Untitled.
Known for his starring role as Scarface in the cult classic film Half-Baked, Diaz played Huck on ABC’s Scandal. He also appeared on Showtime’s Weeds, Chappelle’s Show for Comedy Central, and he recently was a series regular on ABC’s United We Fall. He’s repped by Innovative Artists, Meghan Schumacher Management and Door 24.