Fiona Dourif has spent much of her career drawn to the darker storytelling, from the gleefully fun Chucky to the quieter psychological dread she loves as a viewer. But The Pitt has brought her something entirely different: a sprawling, deeply collaborative medical drama whose success changed her life almost overnight. Dourif recently chatted with me about a lot of different topics in her life from the pressure of returning as Cassie McKay after the first season became a phenomenon, the trust required by the show’s unusual production process, and the remarkable ensemble that ultimately shapes the entire show.
SCOTT MENZEL: Before we get into The Pitt, I have to ask about horror because I know you love the genre and last time we talked in 2025, you had not seen Weapons, so what did you think of Weapons?
FIONA DOURIF: I drove home from the movie theater excited in a way I haven’t been excited by a movie in so long. I adored Weapons. I thought it was so unexpectedly funny and self-referential. I was obsessed with Gladys. I practically accosted Amy Madigan backstage at SAG because it was one of my favorite performances in so long. Patrick Ball had to pull me away from her. It exceeded my expectations.
SCOTT MENZEL: When you returned for Season 2 of The Pitt, after everything that happened with the first season, what was the atmosphere like?
FIONA DOURIF: I think everybody was a little more on edge. A lot of people knew the show was good, but whenever I’m too close to something, I can’t see it objectively. It was a slow pickup in popularity. It wasn’t a hit right out of the gate, but by April or May it was clear that a lot of people were watching. I remember having to go off social media at the beginning of Season 2 because I didn’t want to perform the scenes while thinking about how many people were going to watch them.
The whole thing was surreal. Before I got cast, I had moved abroad because I thought I couldn’t afford to live in Los Angeles anymore. I was still working, but I was thinking about my next move and whether I needed to pivot into something besides acting. I’m in my 40s, and then I got cast on this show. During Season 1, I was subletting an apartment. In the hiatus, I moved back to Los Angeles, started getting recognized in airports and began receiving invitations to powerful people’s houses. I thought, ‘Oh, this show is a hit. This show is really a hit.’ Season 3 has been easier because my feet are on the ground a little more.
SCOTT MENZEL: Was it easier returning with all the medical language and production rhythms already familiar, or did the show’s success create new challenges?
FIONA DOURIF: Season 2 felt like it had more pressure than Season 1. The first season felt like we were all discovering something together. We didn’t know exactly what it was going to be, we were trying things, and it was very playful. Season 2 felt surreal because you don’t expect to be part of something with that many eyes on it. There was a lot of celebration, but also new energy coming from all kinds of places—more attention, and people in my personal life suddenly being super nice to me after they had blown me off before. It was a whole year of brand-new, slightly wacky experiences.
SCOTT MENZEL: The Pitt works because of the entire cast. Awards often single out a few performers from shows that depend on everybody. The ensemble recognition feels especially important here would you agree?
FIONA DOURIF: I could not agree with you more. I don’t want to take anything away from the people who have been nominated, but sometimes it feels arbitrary, as if voters are choosing the character they would want to hang out with or invite to Thanksgiving. It shouldn’t be about that. This really is an ensemble, and that extends to the departments too. Picking apart the organism of all of us making it together can feel strange. At the same time, you celebrate every nice thing that happens. I never expected to be nominated. I didn’t think I had that much screen time, but it feels nice, and I’m going to ride it.
You should see the way we shoot it. It is the most ensemble-based set you’ve ever seen. Noah isn’t treated differently from anybody else. We are all there 12 hours a day. Nobody gets more takes than anyone else. You might spend two days playing deep background in a scene where you’re never really on camera. We change what we’re doing based on what another person does in a take. It feels like a dance with almost no solos.
SCOTT MENZEL: You are promoting Season 2 while already filming Season 3. When you shot Season 2, did you know in advance how McKay’s dynamic with Robby would evolve?
FIONA DOURIF: No. We shoot in order, which is another unusual thing about The Pitt. We’re supposed to be on the air every January, and there are 15 episodes, so scripts may be finished only a week before we shoot them. Not only do we not know where everything is going, but sometimes the writers are still figuring it out. Because we shoot in order, that’s okay.
Casting has done a superb job of finding people who carry the bare-bones essence of their characters. There’s a realism to it: the character doesn’t know what will happen, and neither do you. You don’t have to strategize and think, ‘I need to get here for the finale, so I should pull it back now.’ You play the situation in front of you and trust that they know what they’re doing. They do. I trust the directors, producers and writers. They’ve proved their merit.
SCOTT MENZEL: Have you discovered anything new about yourself through playing McKay?
FIONA DOURIF: I think we all contain everything, and different conditioning or situations bring certain things out. This entire experience has put me in situations that feel new. I didn’t know how silly and playful I could be. When I’m doing my best work—when it feels free and interesting—it feels playful, even in the difficult, meaty scenes. When I allow whatever is going to happen to happen, it becomes alive and interesting to watch. I’m discovering that a lot. You can place an amazing amount of trust in the process. It’s a crazy way to make a living. How did I get this lucky?
SCOTT MENZEL: You’ve been part of the convention world for years. Has The Pitt changed the experience for you?
FIONA DOURIF: I can’t do as many conventions these days because I have to be careful about being exposed to too many people and getting sick. On a production like this, one person getting sick can affect a lot of the cast and crew. I have seen an uptick in attention, but the best part of conventions is that I do them with my dad. As an adult, I get these tiny one-on-one vacations with my parent, which isn’t common. Most people go home for one holiday a year. I get to spend real time with my dad, who is the last family member I have who is alive and whom I’m in touch with. That’s incredibly special to me.
Recognition is also more ephemeral than people think. While Season 2 was airing, I was partly in Ireland shooting a movie, and there was a week when I suddenly got recognized a lot. It happened in airports while the show was on, and now it has mostly gone away—or maybe I’ve gotten more used to it. Sometimes I notice people looking at me and wonder, ‘Do I look really pretty, or is it probably The Pitt?’ When somebody finally says something, it can be a relief because I know it wasn’t in my head. It has never felt bothersome or stopped me from going anywhere. It’s delightful that people watch the show and like it.
SCOTT MENZEL: If you could play any other character on The Pitt, who would it be?
FIONA DOURIF: Santos. I think she’s such a fun character, and Isa Briones’ performance is excellent. There is so much range in it, especially in those one-liners. She does a great job.
SCOTT MENZEL: What would you like to say to the fans who have supported the show and your performance?
FIONA DOURIF: Thank you so much. It’s really cool that so many of you are in the medical profession. Even for those who aren’t, it’s amazing that you want to watch such an intense medical show for so long. Thank you for letting me be here. It has been a delight from beginning to end. I still can’t believe people binge-watch this show. To me, it’s one episode a night—but thank you.
Season Three of The Pitt is currently in production and will be released on HBO Max in early 2027.
