One of many extra unruffled characters on Max’s The Pitt is Dr. Cassie McKay, a second-year resident who’s life expertise (and unlucky skeletons) make her an easy-to-like standout within the emergency room.
Right here, journeyman actor Fiona Dourif — whose earlier credit on the small display have included Chucky, The Blacklist and The Purge — talks about enjoying a doc who turns heads for her bedside method and the digital bracelet round her ankle.
DEADLINE How would you describe Dr. McKay?
FIONA DOURIF I believe one of many issues that differentiates McKay is that there was this hole in between highschool and school and medical faculty the place she made lots of unhealthy selections and acquired herself in lots of locations which can be a bit of questionable and scary. So there’s been this wealth of life expertise that makes her a contact unflappable. Possibly it’s a bit of little bit of knowledge. She has a contact of empathy for folks in troublesome conditions as a result of she looks like she’s been there.
DEADLINE She’s positively older than the youngsters working round, proper?
DOURIF Sure. She’s a 42-year-old second-year resident. So it could be like her sixth 12 months.
DEADLINE How did this function first discover you?
DOURIF I used to be truly in Europe on the time, and when the audition got here in and I learn the bio, I assumed to myself, I’m a model of that character. I acquired a name a few week later saying that they have been and that I wanted to fly again to LA for the audition course of. I keep in mind all these good issues have been taking place on the airport. This woman picked me out of line and had me go as much as the entrance. It was only a bizarre, charmed 15-hour flight. No one sat subsequent to me. After which as soon as we have been forged, I used to be introduced in they usually gave us a backstory, which was about three paragraphs of what they thought my life was. They did this for every character, the place we got here from. It was so near my precise life. In order that’s good.
DEADLINE What did you make of the set-up once you first got here on set, that you just and the others have been going to be on this one room for a number of weeks?
DOURIF A number of months! Eight months. It doesn’t really feel like an everyday TV present. It doesn’t really feel like something I’ve ever carried out earlier than. There’s not likely an infrastructure there to make you are feeling tremendous snug or one which treats one individual higher than one other. It’s all very favored nations. You go in, you alter into your scrubs, you get primary hair and make-up, and then you definitely stroll into this set, which is a hospital with no breakaway partitions like a ceiling. It simply appears to be like such as you’re strolling right into a hospital and also you don’t actually have time to return to a dressing room or something as a result of there’s not likely a lot lighting for every setup. We shoot so as. It feels very very like a play. There are such a lot of characters in every shot behind you and in entrance of you, and the digicam’s whipping round so you possibly can’t actually cease in the course of a take.
DEADLINE Apart from Noah Wyle, this was a forged of largely unknowns. Did you surprise if it was going to be a sluggish construct?
DOURIF I by no means suppose something nice goes to occur to me. I imply, I knew that the present was totally different and I knew that the present was good, however I couldn’t think about having gotten this fortunate. It’s simply the entire thing felt like I gained some type of loopy lottery later in my profession, which doesn’t often occur. I imply, I used to be 42 once I was forged in positively the most important function of my life. So I’ve waited lots of tables in my life and carried out lots of visitor stars so I felt very conscious of how particular the present is. When John Wells screened the primary episode for everyone, it was clear that we have been making one thing particular.
DEADLINE So it appeared early on for McKay that maybe you rubbed Noah Wyle’s Robby the incorrect method and there might be stress. Does that proceed?
DOURIF I believe the principle feeling Cassie has of Robby is admiration, to be sincere. I believe that he was dragging his ft on making a call concerning the suspected shooter, which was irritating. I believe folks can have blind spots and he was having a blind spot concerning the potential risk and the implications if we acquired this incorrect. However he additionally took duty for it. And proper towards the tip of the mass capturing, it turns into clear that his adopted stepson was there. Watching any individual who feels just like the spine of the hospital get examined to that diploma was truthfully unnerving for everyone. I believe it was true for many of us, we glance as much as Noah Wyle. He’s extremely gracious, but in addition his efficiency is simply so easy. We additionally look as much as Robby.
DEADLINE Why is it necessary to point out what’s taking place at house for McKay?
DOURIF I believe the themes that we discover with McKay are the challenges of creating it by yourself. She has not been coddled in her life and she or he’s made unhealthy selections and remains to be coping with the repercussions of them. It’s type of her power as a physician. However it’s all fairly embarrassing. I don’t suppose she would discuss it. The first feeling that I used to be get whereas performing is that it’s identical to humiliation. It’s so embarrassing that I’d get to a place the place I must put on an ankle monitor after which to be in relationship with a man-child who thinks that I nonetheless battle with habit. The entire thing is kind of humiliating.
DEADLINE There hasn’t been a transparent clarification to your ankle monitor, proper?
DOURIF It’s very clear to me. However it’s left a bit of bit to your creativeness.
DEADLINE Will we ever be taught?
DOURIF Possibly. I believe there’s lots of room for extra discovery. I’m curious the place they take it in season two.
DEADLINE The mass casualties have resulted in a heck of lots of blood and gore in that house. Any likelihood it made you are feeling a bit of queasy?
DOURIF No. I’ve lots of historical past with enjoying serial killers in very bloody conditions, in order that half felt very regular. I really feel like I’ve spent my thirties lined in faux blood. The first expertise was how each single individual within the forged was there from 6 AM to six PM every single day. We reported for work and we have been all within the background of one another’s scenes. So it felt overwhelming and tiring in a method that type of helped the efficiency. It’s additionally a reasonably joyful set. Everyone actually likes one another and there’s no egos flying round.
DEADLINE Have you ever been mistaken for a physician whereas out and about within the wild?
DOURIF I’m getting lots of strangers on the road coming as much as me and being like, ‘Did we go to highschool collectively? The place are you from?’ I don’t know methods to deal with it. I don’t wish to be like, ‘I’m an actor.’ I do really feel like I might intubate any individual since I’ve carried out it so many instances. I’m right here for you, guys.
