Shawn Hatosy wants to play Dr. Jack Abbot for as long as possible — and, yes, he sees the pleas for a The Pitt spinoff series.
“I want to keep going with him as far as they want to go. I enjoy the show so much,” Hatosy, 49, told Us Weekly exclusively while promoting the HBO series. “It’s like a theater troupe. It’s a wonderful thing to collaborate on, and sky’s the limit. If they wanna make a [The] Pitt: Night Shift, I am all in, wholeheartedly.”
Fans of the show met Dr. Abbot “literally on the roof about to jump” off the hospital during the show’s January premiere after he lost a patient — a veteran. Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) was quick to talk him down as the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital emergency room went from the night shift to the day shift.
“He’s at this very emotional place,” Hatosy explained. “What it presents is a question. It’s sort of a bigger question. … It’s a question for Abbot, but it’s also a question for Dr. Robby, and that is: I don’t know why I keep coming back to this job.”
What Noah Wyle Said About How ‘The Pitt’ Medical Drama Differs From ‘ER’
He continued, “As we get to the end, we see what his purpose is and what his function in this emergency department is. His ability and talent to lead in the face of incredibly stressful situations. These decisions are gonna save lives. It is very comforting to know that is his purpose and that is why he keeps coming back.”
Initially, it seemed like the premiere was the last viewers would see of Dr. Abbot — the show follows Dr. Robby through a 15-hour day — but when a mass shooting at a music festival led to a large number of casualties, it was an all-hands-on-deck situation.
“When Abbot returns, he says, ‘I was listening to my police scanner’ and shows up with a go bag,” Hatosy said through laughter, explaining how that one line explains so much about the character, a veteran who has “an exceptional talent for emergency medicine” due to his experience in combat.
“I’ve never experienced a character that has received this much attention, who’s been universally liked,” Hatosy added. “I’ve carved out a lot of characters over the years.”
How Noah Wyle’s ‘The Pitt’ Made Extensive Efforts to Be Medically Accurate
As for why Dr. Abbot has become a fan favorite among viewers? Hatosy has some thoughts on that too.
“I’m not saying he’s not flawed. He is. I’ve read the comments too,” the actor shared. “I think it’s just that his flaws are human and relatable. Despite them, or maybe because of them, people respect him, and they trust him. They want him in the room when everything’s failing.”
New episodes of The Pitt premiere on Max Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
