‘The Pitt’ Star Taking on Even Bigger Role for Season 2

One actor from The Pitt is taking on a larger role on the series for the second season—except this time, it’s behind the scenes.

Shawn Hatosy, who was recently Emmy-nominated for his role on the HBO medical drama as the night shift’s attending physician Dr. Jack Abbot, will direct an episode of the upcoming season. It’s not the first time Hatosy has sat in the director’s chair—he previously directed for TNT’s Animal Kingdom, a series he also starred in.

“I’m so excited to capture this show from the other side of the lens. The Pitt is an absolute dream for a director. I feel like a chef who gets to work in the best kitchen, with all the best ingredients – incredible writing, great actors, such strong characters with very distinct points of view; all in an immersive, adrenaline-pumped, beautifully choreographed world,” Hatosy shared in a statement.

“Having experienced it all through Abbot’s eyes, I think that’s going to really enhance my perspective as a director, and what a joy to be able to do it with a group of people with whom I already have such a deep bond,” he continued.

The Pitt is the runaway hit of the year in the TV world, with a quiet January premiere followed by rampant word-of-mouth praise turning it into the biggest series of the year on HBO Max. It has received 13 Emmy nominations at this year’s upcoming ceremony, including Outstanding Drama Series and several acting nominations.

The 15-episode first season of The Pitt, starring ER veteran Noah Wyle, received unanimous praise for its realistic look at hospital trauma ward work—especially in contrast to the fantastical and improbable events in shows like Grey’s Anatomy and, well, ER. Each episode takes place across one real-time hour, similar to FOX’s classic action series 24, showing each doctor’s struggles to juggle multiple patients across one single 15-hour shift.

Season one of The Pitt is streaming now on HBO Max.