The Pitt star Gerran Howell, who plays Dr. Witaker in the Max series, sat down with The Direct to discuss the "medical boot camp" prep for the series, his character's traumatic first shift in the ER, and more.
The new medical drama has a notably unique spin—every episode represents an hour of real-time in one fifteen-hour shift in the ER. Imagine 24 and the original ER television series had a child, and this would be it.
So far, out of all the newbies clocking in on their first day in the ER, Dr. Witaker seems like the most gentle soul of the bunch. Sadly, it hasn't been easygoing for him.
Not only did Dr. Whitaker lose a patient right off the bat, but he is consistently having to change scrubs due to being doused in the bodily fluids of several patients across Season 1.
Dr. Whitaker & Cast's Medical Boot Camp for The Pitt
- The Direct: "There's so much medical jargon going around, how much training did you have to do to prepare for the role? And then, in reality, how much of that medical jargon do you actually understand?"
Gerran Howell: Well, luckily, we had a medical boot camp, two weeks prior, so we were sort of taken through, sort of a crash course on what most people would do. It's kind of like medical school crammed into two weeks. But we were basically in one of the studios with about six medical professionals who come in, and we will do fake procedures on dummies, we will do presentations, we'll watch videos of very graphic surgery.
So, it was quite overwhelming, really, and it was just really hoping some of that stuff stuck. And it did, and then we were just sort of thrown into it. So it was kind of a crash course, but those people who were teaching us were always on set also.
So yeah, I'd like to think some of it's in there. But a lot of it, I mean, you just kind of have to let it go because otherwise, it will turn your brain to mush, I think. If you have all these medical terms swimming around there. And I've just wrapped, so I think, for right now [I'm good].
- The Direct: "At the end of the day, when you tackled this character, what are some personal quirks you feel you added to his portrayal and just who he is that maybe wasn't on the page originally, but through your performance, kind of became who he is?"
Gerran Howell: Oh, I don't know. I think we got an opportunity to play a lot on this job, you know, not necessarily improvisation, but they let me do probably more comedy than other jobs would let me. They let some scenes go on, and we'd mess about. So, I hope I brought some of my own personal awkwardness into the character.
"It Feels Like Someone's Got It In For Me, Right?
Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for The Pitt Season 1, Episode 8.
- The Direct: "One of the running jokes with Dr. Witaker is, there's always a mess on you. Some bodily fluid is being thrown on you. Whose idea was that to make that a running gag. Who targeted you specifically? And was like, Yeah, we're really going to screw with him all season long?"
Gerran Howell: Yeah, that's a great question. It feels like someone's got it in for me, right? Yeah. I mean, it was, obviously, we filmed everything sequentially, so every read through a new episode, I was just, I mean, I'm surprised no one did a bingo card of bodily fluids. But it was, every time, a surprise. But yeah, I think Scott [Gemmill] the writer really, really enjoyed just in what I put up with. And yeah, I put up with it, and they kept coming.
- The Direct: "Did you do all those in one take? Or [are there] some that you had to do multiple times [and] you're like, Well, I [messed] that one up?"
Howell: You know what? I think most of them we did do in one take. I mean, people would be like, That's really impressive. But at the end of the day, something is just being thrown on me. So yeah, I think most of them were one take. The Mylanta was definitely one take. Everyone was very, you know, they got a round of applause for that, not for my acting, but just my aim, apparently. Most of them were quite straightforward, thankfully.
- The Direct: "Will there be plenty more of those circumstances before Season 1 comes to a close?"
Howell: I couldn't possibly say. I mean, the bodily fluids will never stop, but it's just gotta dodge them. So, who knows?
Dr. Whitaker's Traumatic First ER Shift in The Pitt
"It's the Worst Possible Thing I Think That Can Happen on a First Day..."
- The Direct: "One of the big emotional pillars of your character throughout the season has kind of been how, like on your first day, in your opening hour, you lose a patient, and it really affects your character. And you start to, in Episode 7, you get a heart attack patient who needs CPR, and it gets pretty intense. How much of a crutch do you think it has been for Whitaker throughout the season so far in worrying about that happening again? How much is that holding him back?"
Gerran Howell: Yeah, I think it's obviously the worst possible thing I think that can happen on a first day or any time for anyone in the profession. It really sort of haunts him. And I think maybe he thinks this is because it's his first sort of patient that this is he sort of jinxed himself here. But yeah, I mean, he just takes it so personally.
So, I think that's the beauty of his character throughout this shift is that he learns in so many different ways the realities of the ER and just how to overcome it from a practical way because the day doesn't stop. But you know, he also sees it happening to other people eventually and sees that he's not the only one going through it.
And obviously, Dr. Robbie sort of gives him some real sort of grounding about the whole thing. But yeah, I like to think he's resilient. But he's definitely put through his paces big time. It's a big thing to overcome, and whether he does by the end of the shift that's the question.
- The Direct: "You do run into another patient, a little girl, who you do have to give CPR to, but she sadly doesn't make it. How does this impact Dr. Whitaker? Because, at least from my interpretation, It doesn't impact him the same way that his first death did, and he seems to be generally okay going forward. What would you say? Where is he after that big event?
Gerran Howell: I think he, for better or worse, I think he just has to disconnect from it. I think it's the same situation again, well, for the almost, you know, the third time he's doing CPR at this point. So I think there's just a bit a little bit of detachment from that, and whether that's the right way to go about it, I don't think he has it figured out yet. But I think for this one, he's just like, I have to detach from this.
- The Direct: On a happier note, there's a love interest brewing behind the scenes for your character. Might that blossom into something as the shift comes to a close?
Howell: I'm rooting for Whitaker. But who knows? I mean, there's so much going on in, you know. At the end of the day, it's a 15-hour shift. So, can you have a romance blossom and all this trauma in one shift? Who knows.
But I hope people root for him, and I hope it gives Whitaker a bit of validation in some way. I hope people can see a different side of him through that. You know, you can be personable and is not just always doing CPR.
How Does Dr. Whitaker Fit In With the Other Newbies?
"I Think He Finds Different Ways to Connect With All of Them In Different Ways."
- The Direct: "Which of the other newbies would you say that Dr. Whitaker gets along with the most?"
Gerran Howell: I think he finds different ways to connect with all of them in different ways. But I think at the moment, Mel is sort of [someone]. I think he finds some common ground with Mel, her being neurodivergent and overwhelmed in different ways.
But Whitaker, at the end of the day, is just, yeah, he's very competent, but he is overwhelmed. That is his big problem. So I'd like to think with Mel specifically he has a little bit of a camaraderie there.
- The Direct: "Where is he at with Dr. Santos? Because I know, she's always pushing buttons, and she's always getting people a little upset, and she's got a little under your skin. Would you say he's like, maybe annoyed with her [or] not at the best spot."
Gerran Howell: He's terrified of her. I think he sort of embodies the whole coming from a small town and hope. She embodies just the worst sort of confrontational person for him, who is full of beans and just like not afraid to punch down, whether that's for a defense mechanism or not. He's just, she's terrifying. Obviously, Isa [Briones] is lovely, but Santos is terrifying for Dr. Whitaker.
Gerran Howell On What He Wants to See In The Pitt Season 2
"I Just Want to See Him Flourish."
While this interview took place before The Pitt's Season 2 renewal was originally announced, Max did just confirm that these characters will be returning for another shift in the ER.
- The Direct: [When] Season 2 [happens], what would you personally want to explore the most with your character going forward? What haven't we seen that you would really like to explore, just as an actor with him?
Gerran Howell: I just want to see him flourish. I think that's a natural thing. I think I'd like to see what problems he runs into when he loses this sort of being overwhelmed and has some confidence because there are still plenty of pitfalls there. So, I just want to see him evolve, but obviously, still struggle.
The entire interview can be seen here:
The Pitt is now streaming on Max.
Be sure to check out The Direct's previous conversation with The Pitt star Isa Briones, who plays Dr. Santos in the show.
