Key Takeaways
- Katherine LaNasa admits to feeling pressure for Season 2 of the HBO drama The Pitt following her recent Emmy win.
- She won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as nurse Dana Evans.
- LaNasa feels her role is shifting from the background to the forefront in the new season.
- She combats the pressure by focusing on deep research and preparation for her character.
Fresh off a major Emmy win, Katherine LaNasa is gearing up for the second season of the hit medical drama The Pitt, and she admits the golden statuette comes with added pressure. The actress, who won for her compelling performance as nurse Dana Evans, is feeling the weight of expectations as her character steps further into the spotlight.
A Shift to the Forefront
Speaking to PEOPLE, LaNasa, 58, shared her perspective on the upcoming season. “I think in season 1, I shined from the back,” she explained. “And I didn’t know that I was, but that happened. And now I’m more in the front.”
This shift from a supporting player to a more central figure brings a new set of challenges. “So it’s like, can I shine in the front, can I lead from the front? We have to see,” she candidly stated. For LaNasa, the best way to handle this newfound pressure is to dive headfirst into the work. She believes the “anecdote to any fear” is to “really just do the work,” emphasizing research, studying lines, and fully embodying the role.
An Emmy-Winning Performance
In September, LaNasa took home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, a first for her career. The nomination alone was a massive achievement for the veteran actress. “It’s crazy. You stay on the sidelines for so much of your career, you don’t really ever expect to be one of the nominees,” she previously told PEOPLE. “To be one is really just delightful.”
During her acceptance speech, she expressed gratitude for her family, the real-life nurses who inspired her, and her co-star, Noah Wyle. The series itself also won the coveted award for Outstanding Drama Series, cementing its status as a critical darling.
What to Expect in Season 2
Fans are eagerly awaiting the return of The Pitt, which is set to premiere on HBO in January. The new season will pick up 10 months after the intense finale of Season 1. Showrunner R. Scott Gemmill revealed that this time jump was a deliberate choice to explore the recovery of a key character, Frank Langdon, and will shift the setting from Labor Day to the Fourth of July, promising a new dynamic for the Pittsburgh hospital staff. As Dana Evans prepares for her next chapter, all eyes will be on LaNasa to see how she leads from the front.