Shawn Hatosy left his mark on The Pitt earlier than an episode had even aired, due to being featured within the trailer.
His character, Abbot, had solely appeared within the first episode, handing issues over to Robby (Noah Wyle) as his shift ended. However then Abbot returned to pitch in for the incoming mass casualty in Episode 12, simply serving to take command alongside Robby (particularly as he started going by it along with his stepson’s girlfriend, a affected person he couldn’t save) and exhibiting us a lot about who he’s in short moments, like donating blood as he continued to deal with the wounded.
Hatosy might be again in Season 2 — and also will be stepping behind the digital camera to direct. Under, Hatosy opens up about his Emmy nomination (for Excellent Visitor Actor in a Drama, considered one of 13 the present obtained), Abbot’s Season 1 arc, and extra. (Plus, watch him break down the rooftop scene within the finale right here.)
Congratulations on the Emmy nomination. Speak about your response, how that’s modified as you’ve been sitting with it, and what it means to you.
Shawn Hatosy: Properly, it’s overwhelming. It means rather a lot to me to really feel the assist from those who do that for a dwelling. However extra importantly, I’m thrilled that the present is being acknowledged. I believe it’s an vital present. I believe it has vital issues to say for well being staff, and I additionally assume it’s a present that’s performed effectively in Los Angeles, which is a rarity as of late. And so it’s good for the enterprise, and I really like this enterprise. So I hope that this mannequin of tv making continues, and I hope that The Pitt results in others making choices on reveals like this.
What was your preliminary tackle Abbot while you first discovered something about him, and the way a lot of that ended up being true of the character?
My preliminary take, effectively, simply figuring out his historical past as a fight medic, I used to be very positive that he, within the face of chaos, shouldn’t be reactive and simply calm and measured simply because there’s most likely not rather a lot that he hasn’t seen. In order that form of was the backbone of how I constructed him from the start. After which as we get into it and study a little bit bit extra about his hidden traumas, I really feel just like the rooftop scenes bookend The Pitt, Episode 1, Episode 15, and after we meet Abbot, he’s clearly coping with a really tough day, attempting to save lots of this veteran, and he was unsuccessful. It takes a toll on him, an emotional toll, and it form of brings in massive query, I don’t know why I hold doing this.
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After which as this present day unfolds and we see this mass casualty occasion and the way it impacts our core characters, this ensemble and specifically Dr. Robby, how he’s struggling, they usually stand up there on that last rooftop scene, and Abbot is ready to articulate the query he posed in that first episode, which is I don’t know why I hold coming again right here. And the reply is as a result of that is what we do. There’s not lots of people that may do it. It’s not a straightforward job, however anyone has to, and we’re the chosen ones. In a approach, Abbot comes out of this as a reasonably, I imply, no less than in Season 1, totally fashioned character. Whereas Dr. Robby is wrestling with issues that he has not resolved, one being Adamson’s loss of life and this being the anniversary of that. After which now going ahead, how this mass casualty occasion incident goes to form him going ahead.
Was there a particular second that you just both learn in a script or throughout filming that made you immediately connect with Abbot or notice, “Sure, I do know precisely who that is”?
Yeah, for me it’s the blood donation, which fortunately happens in Episode 12, which is my second episode, Abbot’s second episode. And that occurs whereas they’re doing an advanced process. They’re attempting to save lots of anyone, and also you see that he’s O-neg, and he’s donating whereas performing, which isn’t uncommon for army medics. So yeah, you simply instantly, how are you going to not respect him?
It seems like we discovered a lot about who Abbot is as a physician earlier than we even see him training medication onscreen, from the dialog with Robby within the premiere, then listening to what he was doing for the teenager who wished an abortion. However then we actually get to see him thrive when he reveals up for that mass casualty, which I’d argue was precisely what he wanted after the shift he’d had that had led him to the roof in the beginning of the collection. What do you assume made that the suitable method to reintroduce Abbot?
Properly, one factor about the best way the writers have carved him out is his presence remains to be felt, regardless that he’s not there for these 11 episodes or 10, no matter it’s, and it’s only a aid. It’s such a aid for Robby in that second to have anyone there who he respects and appears at as an equal. And for me, as a result of I didn’t get all the medical coaching that the opposite solid members obtained, that was terrifying. Simply getting up in entrance of the solid and the crew, form of actually my first day within the scrubs, having to guide them, and I’m alleged to be very calm and measured, however inside, I’m crippled with nervousness about hoping to get it proper as a result of actors are susceptible. And so I’m glad it got here off the best way that it did as a result of, like I mentioned, he’s anyone who within the face of chaos could be very calm.
And also you’re proper, it simply kind of furthers the theme of him changing into a full character. He’s sitting at residence or wherever in a van, I don’t know, wherever he’s, he’s listening to this police scanner when he ought to most likely be sleeping or enjoying golf or one thing. However he’s not a man that’s snug not doing stuff. And so the adrenaline, the chaos is what he’s searching for. And I believe as we go additional and dig deeper, we are going to study extra about his hidden trauma and what he must perhaps discover.
Yeah, I used to be going to convey up the police scanner, as a result of it’s additionally a aid for him that there’s one thing that he wants to enter the hospital for.
Completely. He’s so wanted. It does reply that query. I don’t know why I hold coming again right here.
John Johnson / Max
So, now taking a look at Season 2, we all know you’re in it. I’ve learn that it’ll discover Abbot’s private life. What are you able to say about any discussions that you’ve got had about Season 2?
I discovered it with you yesterday, every time that article got here out. I knew that that was an avenue in his backstory and a painful one, and I made the choice to put on the ring as a result of I believe within the backstory, it talked about that he misplaced his spouse inside two years. And in order that appeared fairly latest. And I believed, he’s not there, he hasn’t let go but. So I do know what you realize, and studying it and now figuring out that it’s one thing that we’re going to discover, I’m so excited to get into it.
Have you ever had any discussions when it got here to his private life, although? As a result of Season 1 was about him as a military vet after which the reveal of his leg within the finale. So had been the discussions about him so way more about that than about his private life?
Yeah, there weren’t plenty of discussions. There was an e mail with a few pages and the spouse and the prosthetic leg; they had been in there, and there have been different issues in there, however I can’t share them with you, Meredith.
So with the 10-month time bounce, which relationships do you assume could have modified essentially the most for Abbot in that point?
I can solely guess. I don’t know. I didn’t get a chance to work with plenty of the individuals within the solid very briefly with Dana [Katherine LaNasa], form of like a few exchanges with Langdon [Patrick Ball]. Clearly, Dr. Mohan [Supriya Ganesh] is anyone who he has a relationship with and he respects, and so I’m hoping to get an opportunity to fulfill Whitaker [Gerran Howell] and Dr. Mel [Taylor Dearden] and Javadi [Shabana Azeez], everyone. I believe everyone is so good at what they do. All of them have very distinct character level of views. And Abbot solely enhances that.
You already know the followers have latched onto Abbot and Mohan.
I do. I’m conscious, I’m conscious I’ve helped stoke the flames of that.
It’s additionally as a result of because of the format of the present, any private info we get in regards to the characters is so little. You by no means know what may very well be taking place offscreen with two characters.
Yeah. I learn one thing once more in an interview with [R.] Scott [Gemmill] speaking about, or perhaps it was John [Wells], we’re not a present that’s going to enter this stuff whereas we’re there for that day, however there’s most likely plenty of relationship rising and falling aside that’s taking place in these 10 months that we’re going to catch as much as.
How do you assume Abbot and Robby’s relationship goes due to every thing that Robby goes by and Abbot’s Season 1 journey?
I’m undecided. I’m undecided, however I believe their bond is fashioned. I don’t assume that’s going to alter, and the quantity of respect that they’ve for one another as colleagues.
You’re directing the ninth episode. You’ve directed Animal Kingdom and Rescue: HI-Surf, that are chaotic however not at The Pitt‘s stage, particularly as you get additional into the season, which we noticed in the course of the first. And also you’re directing the ninth episode, which might be deeper into Season 2 —
You’re scaring me.
What are you wanting ahead to directing on The Pitt?
Properly, it’s totally different than different reveals, and only one massive distinction is on Animal Kingdom or Rescue: HI-Surf, your prep week is, there’s many issues that it’s a must to sort out, however considered one of them is places. You’re out in a van attempting to pick locations to dig up a physique within the case of Animal Kingdom or do a rescue within the case of HI-Surf. And The Pitt is actually one location. Typically we’ve some exteriors, however only a few. So in some ways it’s like a stage play, and I’ve an in depth historical past in theater and I adore it. And so to me, that’s essentially the most thrilling half to form of assist orchestrate this in sync unit, and simply having the expertise of enjoying Abbot and touching the issues and saying the phrases, it provides me a little bit little bit of a leg up and a belief amongst the ensemble that gives a recent perspective.
We additionally noticed in the direction of the top of Season 1 totally different places within the hospital: the totally different zones in the course of the mass casualty, upstairs, the place Whitaker was dwelling within the finale. Are there any components of the hospital that you just’re hoping to introduce while you direct?
That’s a superb query. I haven’t actually considered that. It’s attention-grabbing. I didn’t even know there was an upstairs that was empty till Episode 15. So we study this stuff as we go. However yeah, I imply, it’s simply Nina [Ruscio], our manufacturing designer. It’s such a improbable set. It does really feel like the actual factor. So for me as a director, it’s like being a chef, working in the perfect kitchen, working with the perfect writers, with the perfect solid. I can’t reply that as a result of I don’t know. I don’t what’s on the market. I don’t know what rooms we haven’t explored, however no matter they provide me, I’ll be prepared.
What are your hopes for Season 2?
Once more, I believe one of many largest hopes I’ve is that I get to have some scenes with a few of the gamers that I haven’t gotten to collaborate with. After which for me, I believe I just like the present rather a lot. I used to be supplied that massive chunk, and watching it with everyone else, I grew to become the largest Pitt fan. And so I heard the followers speak about the potential of an evening shift [spinoff]. And that world does appear form of thrilling to me. I really feel like there’s rather a lot to uncover. It takes a sure form of particular person to determine to work at night time as a result of plenty of them get to decide on their shifts. So I wish to get in — and as we all know, Dr. Abbot’s therapist says that he finds consolation within the darkness. So if he’s one of many leaders of the night time shift, I’d be curious to see what the relationships are and the opposite characters which might be selecting to be there with him.
I really feel like scenes with Abbot, Shen [Ken Kirby], and Ellis [Ayesha Harris] would simply be hilarious.
That’d be hilarious. That’s a dynamic crew.
The Pitt, Season 2, January 2026, HBO Max