Seven Highlights From HBO’s The Pitt FYC Event At The Academy Museum

Here are some of the highlights from the event

How relevant the ICE storyline was

In Season 2, episode 11, titled “5:00 p.m.”, the series tackled a controversial yet relevant topic regarding the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department, which featured two ICE agents bringing an injured undocumented detainee into the ER following a workplace raid. After Jesse (played by real-life ER nurse and rock musician Ned Brower), one of the nurses, intervenes to protect his patient, he is unjustifiably detained by the agents.

Wells stated that the show is deeply researched, and they do not just make things up. Everything they do comes from doctors, nurses, and experts in the fields, taking their stories into account. After the script was written, the New York Times piece on this very topic was released. They shot the episode a month before the killing of intensive care nurse, Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis.

“We didn’t go nearly far enough when we actually shot [the episode],” says Wells. “We tried to be truthful and simply tell what we found out.”

Wyle adds, “By the same token, the world gave context to that storyline that we couldn’t have possibly written. So it became an exercise in showing the bear, not poking the bear – because everybody knows what bears can do now – so I thought what we ended up with was appropriate given the real-world context that was brought to the show after we filmed.”

Wells and Wyle touched on the importance of ensuring places are safe from these kinds of police or customs actions. There are so many who are afraid now to come into the ER or medical offices when they are in a dire condition.

“Schools, hospitals, and churches used to be sanctuary sites,” says Wyle. “You couldn’t go in there. Law enforcement couldn’t go in there. That’s not true any longer. Hospitals don’t really understand what the protocols are about, what they’re allowed to do, in terms of saying you can’t come in or not. You do need a warrant, but not everybody guards the back door. It’s a very loophole system, so it seemed like a really ripe storyline to talk about.”

Wyle did reveal that a family member told him they wouldn’t be watching the series anymore because it featured that storyline.

Executive Producer John Wells praises the writers and actors

When asked about AI’s use in the industry, Wells said AI will never replace excellent writers or storytelling. He tells the audience, “[AI] is just generating what’s already been done. People don’t watch television, read books, or go to movies that they’ve already seen. It’s what [R. Scott Gemmill], the writers, and the actors do that, bringing you something that you haven’t seen before and giving you an experience that you want – a dramatic experience.”

Wells has seen what AI can do and has no interest in its output. He commends all the writers – “the good human ones” – for their work on the series.

The show is proud to film in Los Angeles

The Pitt is filmed at the Warner Bros. Studio Lot in Burbank, California, which is very rare nowadays, as productions now move to locations where it would be “cheaper” to film and produce. The exterior shots are filmed in Pittsburgh, where the series is set. Wyle has repeatedly stated why it’s important to film in Hollywood and remain there.

Wyle states during the panel, “We’ve got multi-generational talent that’s been groomed in this city for over 100 years, and it is the biggest asset that the city offers. You can put up a soundstage in any other city, but they don’t have the talent pool we have here. The artisans working on our show: some of their fathers, some of their grandfathers, worked in this industry. And we’ve got actors here tonight. Ernest Hart Jr. (who played the beloved character, Louie) is here. It’s a joy to cast this show out of the city, and we couldn’t do it someplace else.”

Wells adds, “There are hundreds of really, really talented actors here that we need every week. We have 120-130 background artists onstage every day. We’re using 20-30 actors in speaking parts every day. I love the people in Albuquerque. There are not 1200 talented actors available for us to do this show.”

Wyle defends the background actors

Lovett joked that background actors were just “lying there and then asking for a sandwich,” playing on scenes in which a few patients asked for one. Wyle was quick to defend the actors, who are all SAG-AFTRA members or SAG-AFTRA-qualified.

“To tell you the truth, most of our background actors are SAG-AFTRA actors who need to get their insurance and their days up, so when they come to work, they come to play,” Wyle says. “The relationships they engage you in the background and the specificity of the tasks they involve themselves in give you that realistic texture. Everybody on that set is performing – really performing. They’re not just walking through it. We are a company. It’s one of the few sets I’ve ever been on where there’s no division between foreground, background, cast, or crew. Everybody wears scrubs every day.”

The Pitt tackles medical misinformation

The creative team discussed the importance of being as accurate as possible when discussing medicine. According to several ER doctors, the series is accurate in its medical decisions, diagnoses, pacing, burnout, and interruptions. There are several board-certified emergency physicians and nurses in their writing room and on set.

Wyle, whose mother is a retired nurse, understands that there’s a lot of medical misinformation everywhere and that people tend to hold on to their beliefs. He’s not there to change their mind, but the series will present the facts and statistics “in the most human way possible” and present “the human side of it.” He explains, “Part of our messaging is to dispel a lot of the misinformation that’s out there, and to reestablish for viewers that if you see it on The Pitt, it’s a medical fact that you can take it to your doctor.”

Shooting for Season 3 begins on Tuesday, June 16

Wyle revealed that production for Season 3 begins on Tuesday, June 16. Though the cast and creatives didn’t specify the setting, it was revealed that Season 3 will be set in early November.

Gemmill confirms that Robbie will be back, and the season will be all about exploration from all the characters. He reveals, “We’re gonna see people doing new things this year. It’s going to be very exciting. We have a lot of plans. In reality, we’ve been really grateful for creating these characters that come to life. Now we get to explore and take them on the next sort of journey, seeing how they deal with each other and themselves as they go through this journey of becoming these doctors. It’s really exciting for us. We have a lot of good things planned for everyone. The cast is going to bring a lot of new colors to the characters this year.”

Australian actress Shabana Azeez stood up for herself

During the panel, Lovett complimented Welsh actor Howell for his American accent. Wyle and the team let him know that Azeez was not American either. Wyle relays, “I think these are two of the finest American accents you’ll hear.”

Lovett then proceeds to insult Azeez with his comment, “Australian, yeah, but it’s easier. It’s easier for Australians to do American accents sometimes.”

Rather than laugh it off, she asks what he meant by that comment. He repeats that some people say it’s easier to do an American accent. She asks again, “Who are these people?” Before Lovett can change the subject, she tells him, “No, actually. It’s really hard because my accent is right at the back, and your accents are right up the front. It’s the opposite, actually.”

The Pitt is available on steaming on HBO Max.