Sepideh Moafi reveals that she was warmly welcomed to The Pitt season 2 despite her own worries.
“I was so intimidated walking in and I was welcomed with open arms,” she tells News Of Losangeles in an exclusive interview.
The newcomer joins the cast as attending physician Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, who’s brought in as Dr. Robby’s (Noah Wyle) replacement while he’s out on sabbatical.
The New Face at Pittsburgh Trauma
There’s a newbie roaming the halls of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center.
Sepideh Moafi joins the cast of The Pitt for its second season, which premiered January 8. In an exclusive interview with News Of Losangeles, she reveals that she was warmly welcomed to the set despite her own worries.
“I was a huge fan of the first season,” Moafi, 40, says. “I was so intimidated walking in and I was welcomed with open arms. There’s such warmth and support at all times on the show.”
“It feels like this Herculean challenge to enter this award-winning show that everybody’s obsessed with. But at the end of the day, it’s just about the work. My first day on set, it wasn’t about egos. Everybody was patting each other and themselves on the back,” the actress continues.
“It was about the work that we’re doing and that’s a language I speak. That’s what made me feel welcome and at home,” she says.
Character Dynamics and Challenges
Moafi plays attending physician Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, who is brought in as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch’s (Noah Wyle) replacement when he goes on a three-month sabbatical after the end of his shift.
The actress, whose previous credits include The L Word: Generation Q and Black Bird, knows her character may get off on the wrong foot with viewers. However, she hopes that they’ll give her a chance.
“I think women in any position of leadership or power are always given more harsh judgments and criticism than their male counterparts,” she says. “But I think [viewers will] get to know where her priorities live. And it really is patient-centered medicine.”
Revolutionary Approach to Medicine
Dr. Al-Hashimi’s passion for patient care, Moafi explains, is the reason for her strong first impression. “That is why she comes in sort of with a bang, because she has this Promethean fire for innovation and for re-imagining how the healthcare system works,” the actress says.
“She acknowledges and sees the fractures, how it’s broken, and sees the only way forward is through a revolution, reorganizing the system and hopping on the train of technology rather than letting the train either pass you by or run you over,” Moafi continues.
“She has a background in clinical informatics, which is basically data science and technology, and she’s trying to use it towards hospital operations and patient care,” Moafi explains, adding that her character’s dedication to patients is a goal she shares with Dr. Robby.
“They just have widely different approaches to the work,” the actress says. “She represents the future of medicine and he represents the more old-school traditional approach. But at the end of the day, they have similar goals and they learn so much from each other.”
Season 2 Storylines and Cast
Throughout the season, which follows a team of healthcare workers during a 15-hour shift at the Pittsburgh hospital on the Fourth of July, Dr. Al-Hashimi consults Dr. Robby about how the team operates. She also tries to convince him to implement new technology and intake forms to improve the efficiency of the medical center.
The Emmy Award-winning medical procedure sees the return of Wyle, as well as Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell and Shabana Azeez.
Newcomers to the medical drama also include Meta Golding, Luke Tennie and Christopher Thornton.
The Pitt season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes debuting Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT until the finale on April 16.
