Interview: ‘The Pitt’ Breakout Star Patrick Ball Talks Medical Jargon, Balancing His Love of the Stage and More [VIDEO]

Patrick is having a Ball and a benzo on The Pitt

Patrick Ball is having a moment. While currently at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles for Hamlet, he’s also undergoing intensive medical training for the sophomore season of HBO Max’s newest medical drama, The Pitt. The first season was his first major role in a television series, playing Dr. Frank Langdon, a senior resident in a Pittsburgh ER navigating life as someone addicted to pills after a recent injury. It’s a role that might have been cliché in lesser hands, but the creation of this character involves a high-functioning addict that’s treating patients and otherwise seems fine. Without the start of a new intern, he might not have even gotten caught – but this is where Ball pushes through tired tropes and crafts an intimacy with his senior attending, Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle), that he hopes will keep him out of trouble.

Nicknamed “ER Ken,” he’s someone that would have fit in well amongst the finest doctors on Grey’s Anatomy, both in looks that have people take him less seriously and skills that make him one of the best doctors in The Pitt. As his first major role, Ball hits the ground running on a show that will hopefully last seasons to come. 

I spoke to Ball about medical intensive training for the series, how he’s balancing the next season with his stage work, and his elation at being in the Dick Wolf cinematic universe.

Patrick Ball is Emmy-eligible in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for The Pitt.

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Tyler Doster

Tyler is the TV Awards Editor for AwardsWatch and from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He’s been obsessed with movies and the oscars since he was about 14. He enjoys reading, but even more, talking about Amy Adams more and will, at any given moment, bring up her Oscar snub for Arrival. The only thing he spends more time on than watching TV is sitting on Twitter. If you ever want to discuss the movie Carol at length, he’s your guy. You can find Tyler at @wordswithtyler

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