Ludwig star talks exit from the show ahead of season 2: "I hope the door is still open"

This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.

The Pitt has gripped America. Does it feel to you that there will be a similar reaction here?

We’ll see! Right now it’s comforting to come back to the UK and not really have to think about The Pitt and everything that goes with it. Over here, I’m obviously more associated with Ludwig.

The Pitt has taken over your life, so you’re not doing any more Ludwig?

Unfortunately not, no. I hope the door is still open, because I really love that show.

Noah Wyle told us that one of the reasons you got the part in The Pitt was that George Clooney recommended you.

Well, that’s the first time I’ve heard about that. That’s very cool if that’s the case. I sometimes wonder if he still remembers my name!

Would you agree that The Pitt is an emotional watch?

A hundred per cent! I can tell when people have binged it. You can see the weight of it on their faces.

The medical student you play, Whitaker, is very relatable. In season one, it’s his first day in the emergency room. As a British actor trying to retain a fair amount of medical information yourself, how much acting was involved?

It was nice to be able to let some of those fears and insecurities come out in the character. I remember my head being full of medical terms, because we had to go through this boot camp process which lasted a week.

Some people must have thrived in that situation…

Supriya Ganesh [who plays Dr Samira Mohan] did. Before she went into acting, she was thinking of going into the medical profession. She was the most knowledgeable. Noah was also with us during the medical boot camp. So he was eager to be the first to put his hand up.

What real-life medical things are you able to do? Can you intubate someone? Or do CPR?

I can do a lot. I dread the day someone says, “Is there a doctor present?” when I’m in the room and there are no actual doctors. But going from season one to season two, I was surprised by the things that did stick.

In the show, there’s this mentor/mentee dynamic between Whitaker and Dr Robby. Did that carry over into real-life?

Noah would never say he’s a mentor figure, but you do look up to him. He’s been around for so long, and he’s so connected to the arts. With people like that, you just hope that by being in their presence, some of it might rub off on you.

You and Noah seem to be the main subject of the romantic fan art and fanfiction surrounding The Pitt. Noah says he’s even sent you some of it?

I don’t go searching for it, but in a strange way, it’s flattering that people see something else in our characters’ dynamic — something that allows people to create this alternative reality.

Your family are all still back in south Wales. What do they make of your new role and fame?

I think my mum was worried by the amount of different bodily fluids that were thrown at me in the show!

The Pitt season 1 is available now on HBO Max. Season 2 begins 2 April.

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