Rising Star: Dave Franco

With his square jaw-line, arched eyebrows that frame his deep brown eyes and his ever-so-charming asymmetrical smile, “Scrubs” newbie Dave Franco is not only a handsome looking 24-year-old. Despite being a fresh face, he’s an oddly familiar one too.

There are a host of reasons to get to know AccessHollywood.com’s newest Rising Star and none of them have to do with his Golden Globe-winning older brother and “Acting With James Franco” “Funny Or Die” skit co-star, James Franco.

Click HERE to see the skit.

While Dave has held down a handful of small roles across television on shows including “Privileged” and “Greek” in the last few years, it’s his new role as the rich and entitled student doctor, lady lover, and all around meathead, Cole, on the newly-retooled “Scrubs” that’s making him one to watch.

“They could have gone for the big Abercrombie looking guy, which would be the more obvious route, but I think the idea of casting me in this role was because the whole idea of the character is that he puts on this front,” the affable Dave laughed when Access asked about taking on the name-making part. “He’s this cocky womanizing b**tard, but…underneath, he really is this vulnerable kid with family issues.”

Cole is easily the most memorable of the new “Scrubs” students, mostly thanks to Dave’s portrayal of the character as a surfer-tinged, arrogant, skirt chasing and rude gesture-making student.

“One great thing about this show is that they allow us to be so free with the material and they almost encourage us to try alternate jokes,” Dave explained of how he’s been able to flourish on set. “As the season has progressed, I’ve definitely tried to bring in some of my own take on the character you know, aside from what’s on the page. And I think that’s been easier because I’ve been so comfortable with everyone and it is such a relaxed, warm set in general.”

And it appears that netting the perfect role has changed the actor in positive ways. Gone from his red carpet appearances is the floppy fringed-hair of his youth. In its place, a sexy slicked back ‘do. Then there are the muscles too, revealed by the short-sleeved medical shirts Dave sports on “Scrubs.”

“I’m not the type of person who goes to the gym all the time or anything, but I think it honestly does help me get into the character a little bit, to be in relatively good shape,” he laughed.

But Dave isn’t content to be confined to just a life on TV. The actor, who admits to admiring the careers of Sean Penn and Johnny Depp, has lined up a handful of roles in some highly anticipated projects. Amongst them — Noah Baumbach’s “Greenberg” with Ben Stiller, and the role of Zac Efron’s best friend in “The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud,” both due in 2010.

“When I take a step back and look at these past two years, it’s crazy to me, like everything that I’ve been able to do and all these opportunities I’ve had,” Dave said. “I can only hope it continues.”