Everything We Know About Max’s ‘The Pitt’ Season 2

Set in the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, “The Pitt” follows Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Wyle) and his fellow emergency room staffers as they grapple with the fast-paced nature of their department in real-time. Each of the series’ hour-long episodes chronicles one hour in a single 15-hour shift. However, as Dr. Robby leads his talented team, viewers find he’s also dealing with the emotional anniversary of his mentor’s death from COVID-19 and the fallout from the pandemic.

Season 1 of “The Pitt” features:

• Noah Wyle as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch
• Tracy Ifeachor as Dr. Heather Collins
• Patrick Ball as Dr. Frank Langdon
• Katherine LaNasa as Dana Evans
• Supriya Ganesh as Dr. Samira Mohan
• Fiona Dourif as Dr. Cassie McKay
• Taylor Dearden as Dr. Melissa King
• Isa Briones as Dr. Trinity Santos
• Gerran Howell as Dr. Dennis Whitaker
• Shabana Azeez as Dr. Victoria Javadi
• Amielynn Abellera as Perlah
• Jalen Thomas Brooks as Mateo Diaz
• Kristin Villanueva as Princess
• Ned Brower as Nurse Jesse Van Horn
• Shawn Hatosy as Dr. Jack Abbot
• Michael Hyatt as Gloria
• Brandon Mendez Homer as Donnie Donahue
• Alexandra Metz as Dr. Yolanda Garcia
• Krystel V. McNeil as Kiara Alfaro
• Deepti Gupta as Dr. Eileen Shamsi
• Tracy Vilar as Lupe Perez

In an interview with TVLine, Wyle described what it was like working with the rest of the cast of “The Pitt.” “This is one of the most talented ensembles I’ve ever worked with in my life, and I feel very much like a Trojan horse who’s going to be delivering this army into people’s living rooms that they aren’t expecting. I’m so proud of them, and I’m so pleased and grateful to be working alongside them,” he said. “They really deserve a major shout-out for how quickly they pick this stuff up, and how totally they immerse themselves in these parts. They really are dedicated, talented, facile performers. That’s exactly what we were looking for, and they all delivered. I’m so happy that the world is going to get to see what they can do.”

Erica Berger and Cathy Sandrich Gelfond (“Mayor of Kingstown,” “Love & Death”) were the primary casting directors for “The Pitt” Season 1.

While Gelfond believes actors should do whatever they must to get in character for an audition, going to extremes might not always be the best approach. As Gelfond told us, she and fellow CD Amanda Mackey were in the audition room with a relatively new actor when he pulled out a weapon. “The scene called for a knife, and he pulled a knife out on me,” she explained. “And Amanda had to leap up and say, ‘Please stop, just stop!’ The guy was shaking with this knife, shaking as I’m reading with him. As long as you don’t inflict harm—whatever you need to do other than inflicting harm upon the casting directors.” In other words, if you hope to stand out from the crowd, try to avoid scaring those who’ll get you the job.

On Feb. 14, Variety reported that despite the show’s ongoing legal battle, “The Pitt” is officially getting a second season. 

“It’s been a thrill to watch audiences embrace ‘The Pitt’ as an update to procedural storytelling with a cast who authentically embody the heroics of doctors and nurses on shift in a 2025 emergency room,” said head of Max Original Programming, Sarah Aubrey. “Our collaboration with John Wells, R. Scott Gemmill, Noah Wyle, and Warner Bros. Television has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and we are excited to continue down this path with another season."

WBTV Chairman Channing Dungey also shared her excitement, saying, “From its powerful stories to its realistic set and unique real-time format, ‘The Pitt’ is truly a masterclass in storytelling—and it’s all due to the talented team of executive producers and crew, and the incredible ensemble cast who truly embody the pace and pressure of a hospital emergency department. John, Noah, Scott, and the team have so many more stories to tell, and we are thankful to our partners at Max for giving them the opportunity to do so.”

What we know about the “The Pitt” lawsuit

According to Deadline, Warner Bros. is currently in a breach-of-contract lawsuit, which could influence the future of the show. Sherri Crichton, the widow of the late screenwriter and filmmaker who created “ER,” filed the lawsuit against Warner Bros. She claims that the concept of “The Pitt” initially started with Gemmill, Wells, and Wyle exploring an “ER” reboot, but they pivoted, and now the show is essentially an unauthorized sequel to NBC’s medical drama. Gemmill is credited as the creator of “The Pitt,” while Wells and Wyle serve as executive producers.

“‘The Pitt’ is ‘ER,’ ” the lawsuit states. “It’s not like ‘ER.’ It’s not kind of ‘ER.’ It’s not sort of ‘ER.’ It is ‘ER’ with the exact same executive producer, writer, star, production companies, studio, and network as the planned ‘ER’ reboot.”

The lawsuit says that the concept of “The Pitt” came to life after the Crichton estate blocked plans to reboot “ER.”

“Rather than afford Crichton the ‘created by’ credit he deserved, defendants would pretend their reboot was not his creation at all, thereby enriching themselves to the tune of millions of dollars—potentially hundreds of millions or several billion dollars in success—and depriving Crichton’s heirs of their rightful share,” the lawsuit continues.

“While litigation is never the preferred course of action, contracts must be enforced, and Michael Crichton’s legacy must be protected,” a spokesperson for Sherri Crichton said in a statement.

Warner Bros. attempted to get the case thrown out in August 2024, according to Variety. “The lawsuit filed by the Crichton estate is baseless, as ‘The Pitt’ is a new and original show,” the studio said in a statement. “Any suggestion otherwise is false, and Warner Bros. Television intends to vigorously defend against these meritless claims.”

On Jan. 30, Deadline reported that the lawsuit is currently in limbo following a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court. The judge on the case issued a “soft tentative” denying Warner Bros.’ “free-speech-fueled anti-SLAPP motion.”

While the legal system doesn't necessarily control the show's future, ongoing suits could have the potential to cause production problems. Stay tuned for more updates as the legal proceedings unfold.

Although “The Pitt” has just been renewed for Season 2, it will take some time for casting notices to trickle in. As you wait, you might want to check out our roundup of medical drama gigs that are casting right now, as these opportunities will serve as the salve that sustains you until Max’s hit drama returns. And don’t forget our guide on how to audition for HBO!

Listen to those who love you. Briones was raised within the entertainment industry, so she’s learned from both her parents’ acting experience. “They’ve seen every side of the business, highs as well as very lows, so watching what they’ve been through makes me know exactly how I have to behave in every situation and everything that I go through in this business,” she told VC On Stage. “I know that I can’t get a big head when things start to go well, because you never know what’s around the corner. It’s the life of an actor.” 

She added, “The thing that I mostly get from my parents is ‘Trust your stuff.’ That’s what my dad always says. Trust your stuff. I tend to get very insecure and doubt myself, but then I think of that and I say to myself, OK, you can do this. You know your material; you know what you have to do. You just have to trust it and have fun.”

Love the journey, not the destination. Having been bullied by her schoolmates during her youth, Ifeachor wants every actor—every person—to know that they matter. “When I walk into an audition now, I try to remember all the things I have done to be there. I used to walk into rooms and just be grateful I was there and hoped they liked what I was offering. Now, I realize that, as actors, we can walk in still grateful but also appreciating and knowing our collective value,” she wrote for us.

Ifeachor shared she’s learned that the journey is just as important as the destination—maybe even more so. “If I could give my younger self some advice, I would say: Nobody starts at the finish line. And don’t seek to control everything. After all, something better might come around the corner right after your ‘amazing plan’ doesn’t work out,” she said. “My biggest disappointments have always been directly linked to my biggest blessings. I’ve traveled the world, lived and worked in 22 different countries and cities, and seen amazing things I never even dreamed of. If I had known all this years ago, I would have spent more time enjoying the journey and less time worrying about where I was going. I’m still working on that last part.”

Lay the groundwork for future development. Like many actors, Hatosy’s experience in front of the camera inspired him to try his hand at directing. But as he told us, if an actor aspires to grow beyond their current job description, they must begin laying that foundation early on. “I hate to break the news to you, but actors have terrible reputations,” he said. “Years of on-set temper tantrums, too many discussions about ‘My character wouldn’t do that,’ and countless early morning hangovers are just a few reasons producers think we can’t be trusted…. You want to direct? Start by being the best actor. Be professional, on time and off book. Come ready to perform the scene. When a director gives you a note, be available and give it your best shot. Long discussions about how to achieve the scene only slows the day down. How does being the best actor get you a directing job, you ask? Your reputation is everything in this town. All decisions are made by a committee, and you never know who will end up hiring you as a director.”