For Scott Wolf, Being ‘Present’ Beats Having a Bucket List

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Actor Scott Wolf, 56, appreciates the wisdom that comes from growing older.

“I think some of the intensity … relaxes a bit,” says Wolf, former star of Party of Five and husband to life coach/author Kelley Wolf. The pair have their own party of five — Lucy, 10;

Miller, 12; and Jackson, 15. “Things just soften in a way with experience, and perspective is a beautiful thing, especially with my kids, my family. It's also a big deal at work. I show up

now and I appreciate it more than ever, and I'm more grateful for it than ever.”

Wolf's newest project is the new Fox drama Doc, premiering Jan. 7. The show depicts Dr. Amy Larsen (played by Molly Parker), who loses her memory in a car accident and must rebuild her life.

Wolf plays Dr. Richard Miller, who takes over as chief of internal medicine for Dr. Larsen — for now.

Wolf talks to AARP about why a Party of Five reboot makes sense, the secrets to his enduring marriage, and how he prioritizes being "present" over bucket lists. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The show focuses on Amy, who must revisit her past to understand the future. It got me thinking: What would I want to do over?

The fundamental story is that it's very, very rare to get a second chance, to go back and revise some part of your life or parts of your relationships that you didn't maybe do as well as you

would want to the first time around. ... It really does evoke a sense of what would I do with that chance?