Latest news with #medicaldrama
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Freddie Highmore Is Back to His British Roots (and Loving It) in ‘The Assassin'
Freddie Highmore has called London home is whole life, but you wouldn't know it from his portfolio. The 33-year-old actor, a former child star thanks to his titular role in Tim Burton's 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has spent a good chunk of the last decade across the Atlantic. Shooting entirely in Vancouver, his rise to fame is best associated with the medical drama The Good Doctor from 2017 to 2024 or the psychological horror series Bates Motel in the years before that. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Gen V' Season 2 Trailer Promises Uncovered Secrets, Lots of Blood Oasis Play Wembley: 5 Takeaways From Liam and Noel Gallagher's Nostalgia-Packed Return to Stage Ryan Reynolds Zings Rob Mac at Just for Laughs Awards 'I had such an incredible experience that feels so unique and will probably never happen again,' Highmore tells The Hollywood Reporter about his TV adventures abroad. 'But at the same time, there was definitely an excitement to do something back in the U.K.' He adds: 'It did always feel like, 'Oh, I should get back at some point.'' The Brit is back with a bang in Amazon's hit(wo)man thriller The Assassin, airing on Prime Video in the U.K. on Friday, July 25. The show, from Fleabag producers Harry and Jack Williams — creators of The Missing and The Tourist — stars English actress Keeley Hawes (The Bodyguard) as Julie, a retired assassin living in Greece. She reunites with her estranged son Edward (Highmore), who is seeking answers about the father he never knew. But the pair find themselves forced to call on Julie's tricks of the trade when her murky past begins catching up with her. Gina Gershon, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Jack Davenport, Alan Dale, Gerald Kyd, Devon Terrell, Richard Dormer and David Dencik round out the supporting cast. 'We got along incredibly well from the beginning — we were lucky in that way,' Highmore says of nailing a mother-son rapport with Hawes pretty swiftly. 'We have a similar sense of humor, and we gravitated towards bringing out the same things in Jack and Harry's writing.' The six-episode season takes audiences across Europe — the program filmed for some months in Athens, Greece — with Hawes and Highmore at their very best through shoot-outs, yacht bust-ups and moped getaways. Highmore spoke with THR about getting back to his native England, The Assassin's original title and why he feels lucky to have entered showbiz before the rise of social media: 'Now, it's a necessary part of starting one's career. It's very hard for people to to not partake in it, and to not be encouraged to do so.' One of the most compelling parts of the show is this relationship between Edward and his mum. Talk to me about creating this chemistry with Keeley. Had you watched her in or ? Did she talk to you about being a fan of yours before you were both cast in ? Yeah, we were both familiar with each other's work. There's lots of different parts to your question! One of the huge appeals of working on the show was definitely getting the chance to work with Keeley. I admired her work and loved so much of what she had done for so long. That was really exciting. Then we had a Zoom because I was in Vancouver, and she was doing a play in London. And we just saw the show and what we had read so far the exact same way. We are very similar in many ways. We have a similar sense of humor, and we gravitated towards bringing out the same things in Jack and Harry's writing. So that part of it felt effortless, that sense of mutual understanding from the start. It's funny though, because I think, in a way, there wasn't a huge amount of rehearsal or effort in creating that dynamic. We got along incredibly well from the beginning. We were lucky in that way. Hopefully Keeley says the same. How do we see that chemistry play out on-screen? That was the thing that gave us the ability to feel quite free in the scenes — not changing the words or changing the sense of the scene — but trust trying different things, having that bickering back and forth, finding that easygoing relationship between the two of them. One of the things that I find interesting about their dynamic is that, yes, on the surface, their relationship is complicated and it's messy and it's a little bit strained. They haven't seen each other for some time. There's an estrangement. But I think they're also more similar than each of them realize at the beginning. They're two people that understand each other intimately [and] who yearn for that deeper connection. So there's an element of tragedy, I think, to the two of them at the start, where even [from] those initial reactions you know each of them are trying. But they just keep on getting it wrong. So hopefully, over the course of the show, they'll be able to to figure it out and realize that maybe they don't need to be quite as opposed as they always have been. A large part of that is the secrets. They have dug themselves into this dishonesty. Obviously, Julie, in quite an obvious way, is hiding the fact that she killed people for a living. But even Edward, in terms of the secrets that he's been keeping from her and and other people — they just keep getting it wrong. What can you tease about their relationship over the course of the season? There is so much to learn and so much to understand about their relationship and their history. There's a lot of twists and turns. There are a lot of cliffhangers, but at the same time, it never feels like they're there just to have a cliffhanger at the end of the story and [have] people go, 'Oooh!' It always felt grounded, rooted in characters and in the dynamic between Edward and Julie. So [the surprises are] never there just to tick a box and get people to keep on clicking. They service a more interesting, nuanced story underneath. It is a familiar genre, and that feels comforting when you're thrown straight in. At the same time, I felt like a lot of my expectations were subverted. Is it a testament to Harry and Jack's writing that this show does feel fresh in quite a popular genre? Yeah, and I love The Tourist. So when this came along, having already been aware of that and their work there — and obviously, Shalom was brilliant in that too. I think it's very much in that vein. What they do so brilliantly, Harry and Jack, is combining the serious and the silly. It's always grounded in reality. But there's also these high stakes and bigger engine and dark humor. I was at the recent screening and Q&A session with you and the rest of the cast. I found it hilarious that Shalom and Devon were so unfazed by the Greece heat, because they are Australian. But you and Keeley struggled a bit more. (Laughs.) Yeah. I would say it was the one good thing that I had versus Keeley — in fact, this extends past the weather [and applies] to all things stunt or action related — my character was never meant to be a professional. He has never been a professional. So heat-wise, I think it was quite good that I looked a bit out of place and not in my comfort zone. Edward gets off the ferry, he's feeling a bit sick and thinking, 'What have I done to put myself in this position?' And then, over the course of the six episodes, Julie does encourage him to buck up at a little bit. [She's] like, 'at a certain point you've got to start learning some of my old tricks of the trade' — just to keep them both alive. But again, I didn't need to be very good at them. So that can be my justification! Did you find that your own personality spilled into Edward at all? Are there any similarities you drew on to help you play him? I guess there's probably a part of me, of you and everyone in every character. There were probably more superficial similarities than other roles that I'd done more recently as well. I'd say one of the things that attracted me to it as well was just that he is British. It did feel like there was a very British sensibility to the show and a British point of view, even though we were filming abroad. And I think as a Brit, it had been a long time without being able to work here and have the opportunity to do things here. So it was exciting to get into a character and a script that has a very British tone to it. That was something I was definitely excited to do. Well, you've been doing for so many years. Did you miss our British sense of humor? Yeah, I definitely was keen to do something in the U.K. again. I think it had been a long time. It was one of the most amazing chapters of my life, being in Vancouver, not only on The Good Doctor but Bates Motel and that 12-year run in that city. There's definitely a nostalgia for that, and I had such an incredible experience that feels so unique and will probably never happen again. But at the same time, there was definitely an excitement to do something back in the U.K. So much great television and so many great films are made over here. It did always feel like, 'Oh, I should get back at some point.' You've had such a colorful career so far. You were a child star. What kind of roles get you excited at this stage in your career? Why ? I've always loved the television I've been lucky [enough] to do alongside films. There's just an opportunity to dig deeper into characters and into storytelling [in TV], getting into the nuances that you just can't do when you've only got 90 minutes or two hours. It's just never wanting to do the same thing again, not wanting to repeat oneself or feel like you're doing the same thing, playing a character the same way, or tonally doing something similar. I'm always looking for things that are exciting and challenging in new ways. Do you feel like TV has your heart a bit more than film, because of those storytelling capabilities? Maybe. I don't know. I've been so lucky in general in both film and TV. Maybe I see the greater fortune, having been in television, where it's so rare to get to spend so many years with one particular character — and to get to do that twice. But I think the other thing that it gives you is an awareness that you can end up spending a long time, a large part of your life, doing one thing. [The Assassin] is only designed to be a one-off, but when thinking of television more broadly and future opportunities, you do want to make sure that you choose the right thing. I can't imagine what it would have been like doing those things for so long if they hadn't been as exciting. So yes, I'm excited to do more TV, but it's also just being aware of wanting to choose that carefully because those decisions can have big repercussions. For me, it ended up being great and wonderful but the opposite may have been more difficult. Do you think being in the industry as long as you have has helped you make those decisions? I do feel fortunate about that. Having started younger, I avoided social media being a necessary part of starting one's career. Now, it's very hard for people to to not partake in it, and to not be encouraged to do so. It's wonderful for many people, and many people enjoy it and have a great relationship with it. For me, [not having social media] has always helped me keep a healthy boundary between work and life outside of that. Growing up and starting to act in a time when that wasn't a requirement — or even in existence — was lucky. It's amazing that was initially titled . It immediately transforms the vibe. I still end up calling it The Hermit a lot of the time. People refer to it as The Assassin and I'll forget that's what it's now called, just because [we went] through so many months of working on something with a particular title. When you've worked on it and gone through the whole process, it seems more irrelevant, [the title.] But of course, that's people's first impression and that's all they know about the show. I guess [The Assassin and The Hermit] signify different things. But at the same time, it depends on what part you want to highlight. The show really is a mix of these two things. There is that high-octane thrill. But I don't think, personally, that's what keeps people coming back to shows. These characters that they've created are interesting and nuanced and people that, ultimately, you want to spend more time with. So if [The Assassin] hooks people in, then great. The one thing I liked about The Hermit is a lot of characters in the show are somewhat isolated and seeking connection. Everyone, to some degree, is a hermit, just wanting to find love and reconciliation or validation with someone else. Whose idea was it to change the title? Who knows? I'm sure it's to do with all the algorithms. (Laughs.) That search engine optimization. Would you happily return to Edward's shoes, if the opportunity arose? I had a brilliant time doing it. I can see from your position that maybe it feels like more [seasons] were planned. It was never the case. Would I want to do something with [the Williams brothers] again? Would I want to do something with Keeley again? Of course, I had such a wonderful time. Whether that's this show, a different show, who knows? The Assassin is now available to watch on Prime Video in the U.K. and Ireland. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Resident' EPs, Co-Stars Morris Chestnut & Shaunette Renée Wilson Pay Tribute To Malcolm-Jamal Warner: 'He Was Larger Than Life'
Although beloved for his role as Theo Huxtable in the 1980s sitcom The Cosby Show, it was his portrayal of AJ 'The Raptor' Austin in Fox's medical drama The Resident (2018-2023) that allowed fans to reconnect with Malcolm-Jamal Warner as an adult in a major way. AJ was known for being a man of the people and principles. Through his character, the series brought to the forefront conversations around the complexities of the broken healthcare and immigration systems in the U.S., as well as adoption, through the character's personal experiences. More from Deadline Malcolm-Jamal Warner Drowns: 'The Cosby Show' & 'The Resident' Actor Was 54 Remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner: A Career In Photos Fox's 'Memory Of A Killer' Adds Odeya Rush To Cast As someone who covered the show during its six-season run, I can confidently say Warner, who died Sunday in a drowning accident in Costa Rica, shared great qualities with AJ. Not only were they caring and smart, but also intentional, thoughtful, and funny. 'Working with Malcolm was a joy. He was a fabulous actor and a stellar human being. He was larger than life, and brought a deep empathy and humanity to every scene. He was thoughtful, kind, and incredibly hard-working, a devoted family man with a dear wife and child. And if that weren't enough, he made us laugh. Our condolences to all who loved him as we did. His death is a tragic loss and he will be missed,' The Resident's executive producers Amy Holden Jones, Todd Harthan and Andrew Chapman in a group statement to Deadline on Monday. RELATED: Warner played AJ with pride and was always happy to speak to the media about the importance of the character existing in the mainstream, and how much fun it was to go toe-to-toe with Morris Chestnut when the latter joined during the show's third season. The battle of wits between Chestnut's character, the cocky neurosurgeon Barrett Cain, and The Raptor is legendary to fans of the series. When Cain was gravely injured while trying to save a woman who had been in a car accident, AJ was there to support and challenge him. 'Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner,' Chestnut wrote today. 'Working alongside him on The Resident was an honor. He brought so much depth, warmth, and wisdom to every scene and every conversation. One of the nicest in the business. Rest easy, brother. Your legacy lives on.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Morris Chestnut (@morrischestnutofficial) Warner also worked closely with Shaunette Renée Wilson, who played Mina Okafor on The Resident. Mina and AJ were the hot, hot, hot newest couple for a while, as their characters eventually built a relationship on a deeper level. Between AJ and Mina, there was a meeting of the minds, passion, and most importantly friendship and respect. It was through their pairing that the immigration storyline was explored: AJ proposed to Mina, but her visa was due to expire. Exhausted and frustrated from trying to secure a more long-term stay in the U.S., Mina self-deported to her native Nigeria. AJ was planning to join her and set off on a new adventure together, but he stayed behind to care for his ailing mother, who had cancer. Wilson left the series at the end of Season 4. 'Last week I had the impulse to text you for one of our lengthy heart check-ins. I truly wish I had so that one of the last words I had of you were of your wisdom, kindness, and that uncanny ability you had to be both unserious and profound within a single sentence. I'm beyond heartbroken. You were such a dear friend to me,' wrote Wilson via Instagram today. She added, 'My heart goes out to the family and loved ones he leaves behind. I cannot conceive the amount of grief with such a tragedy. Rest in Power, Malcolm. It was a joy to be Mina to your AJ. I will miss you deeply. 💔' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shaunette Renée Wilson (@shauneywood) The series also starred Bruce Greenwood, Manish Dayal, Emily VanCamp, Matt Czuchry and Jane Leeves. Ken Laurence, lead tailor on The Resident, also remembered Warner. 'I had the pleasure of working w/ Malcolm-Jamal Warner, when I was the lead-tailor for 'The Resident'. He wasn't just an actor to me. He represented legacy. A pioneer in Black storytelling. A cultural icon. May his soul rest peacefully and in power for eternity,' he posted via X. Warner was with the show across its six seasons as an actor, and he directed the Season 4 episode titled 'The Accidental Patient.' Following his run on The Resident, he returned to Fox in an episode of Accused, a crime drama anthology with each episode counting as its own story, in 2023. His final TV credit was on another Fox drama, Alert: Missing Persons Unit, in the role of Chief Inspector Bill Houston. 'Everyone at Fox is heartbroken by the tragic loss of our friend and colleague, the extraordinary Malcolm-Jamal Warner. While his iconic roles – from comedic to dramatic – are unforgettable and timeless, Malcolm will be remembered most for his warmth, kind heart and the lasting impact he had on his friends, family and fans everywhere. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones,' Fox shared in a statement. When I first met Warner, I visited the set in Atlanta ahead of one of The Resident's early seasons. Having grown up watching him on The Cosby Show, I asked whether he ever considered AJ as a grown-up version of Theo, who followed in his father's footsteps and became a doctor. I remember he flashed his trademark smile, and he told me he had never considered that, but he was into it. While Warner may be gone, he's left behind a plethora of work as his legacy, to be enjoyed by future generations. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The Pitt's Noah Wyle addresses Tracy Ifeachor's exit: ‘We will miss her'
Tracy Ifeachor, who played Dr. Heather Collins in the HBO Max medical drama The Pitt, will not return for the show's second season. HBO said in a statement that Dr. Collins, a fourth-year resident in season one, would not be part of the shift in season two, indicating a creative decision. Social media speculation suggested Ifeachor's departure was due to controversial religious beliefs, including involvement with a church performing 'gay exorcisms'. Noah Wyle, a co-star, addressed the rumors, expressing amusement at the speculation and stating they loved working with Ifeachor. Ifeachor's publicist firmly denied all claims, stating she was not fired and that rumors about her participating in discrimination through her religion are entirely false and defamatory.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Noah Wyle on his Emmy nomination for 'The Pitt': 'This time around, it's much more gratifying'
Twenty-six years after Noah Wyle was last nominated for an Emmy, for his role as Dr. John Carter on NBC's long-running medical drama "ER," the actor has scrubbed back in for a chance at a golden trophy. The star and executive producer of "The Pitt" received a nomination for lead actor in a drama series for his role as Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, and overall, HBO Max's breakout hit received 13 nominations. Wyle will be competing alongside Sterling K. Brown ("Paradise"), Pedro Pascal ("The Last of Us"), Gary Oldman ("Slow Horses") and Adam Scott ("Severance") for the award. The actor's skill around a fictional emergency room has yielded strong results. While it's his first Emmy nomination since 1999, it's the actor's sixth Emmy nomination for playing a doctor — the previous five were for his supporting role as the med student-turned-hospital veteran on "ER." Tuesday's nomination is his first ever in the lead actor in a drama category. Wyle was in production on "The Pitt's" sophomore season on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank when he got the celebratory news, and The Times caught up with him during a break. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Read more:After a 15-hour shift on 'The Pitt,' Noah Wyle reviews Dr. Robby's day Noah, congratulations! Production on Season 2 is underway. You were on set when you got the news? Thank you. Yes, we're working today. I was on set. We shot the first scene. I asked to go to the bathroom. On a bathroom break, I checked my phone and saw a text from my wife that said, "Baby!" I thought, "Oh." By the time I came back onto set, everybody was starting to get very excited. Then just now, [R.] Scott Gemmill [the show's creator] came down and made a formal announcement and read off all the 13 nominations, and that just exploded the crew and cast background into massive celebration. How do you get back to work after this? Oh, so easily. I'm going [to] go in there, and we're gonna get right back at it. I don't know. I guess with a little bit of a bounce in our stride. When I look at the sound department, who works so hard on our show, parsing out all that overlapping dialogue — to see them get recognized, and see our makeup departments, both prosthetic and non-prosthetic, be recognized for their labor — everybody puts such pride into their work, and I am inspired by so many incredible artists who bring their expertise to this place every day. To see everybody be recognized makes it feel even more special, because it's truly a group effort. Dr. John Carter on "ER" was a newbie to the healthcare industry, bright-eyed and eager to learn. Dr. Robby in "The Pitt" is a veteran of the industry, sort of jaded by the systemic challenges but as committed as ever to the patients. How is it to track someone deep in their career at this stage in yours? There was a lot of one-to-one identification with Carter back then, as I was new and eager to be good at my job and seen as being good at my job — both ambitious, both aspirational. This time around, it's much more gratifying because you have perspective. When you're 23, you don't necessarily know what the peaks and valleys of a life or career are going to be, but at 53, you have a better understanding of the road traveled and the road ahead, and it just makes this feel even sweeter. The show is confronting issues changing in our world in real time, and you're inhabiting someone behind the headlines, in the trenches, dealing with the realities of those issues. What intrigues you about what Dr. Robby and the rest of the characters on this show say about this moment in time, especially as the healthcare industry is on the precipice of more drastic change? Season 1 was trying to put a spotlight on the community of front-line workers and hospital personnel who've been doing sort of unending tours of duty since the pandemic. It was a thesis on tracking the emotional and physical toll that it's taken on our workforce, in a way to try to inspire the next generation, but really to also highlight the heroism of people that are in the trenches now. Unfortunately, we've had to move on from that thesis because the world events since that [time] have taken such a turn, and healthcare in particular is in such crosshairs that it is both extremely incumbent upon us to stay current in our storytelling and reflective of what's happening. But it's really quite a challenge to try and peer into a crystal ball and see what the world will look like 13 months from now, when these episodes air, because the events are changing on the ground daily, so quickly that things that we didn't think would have come to pass by now have already come and gone and been normalized. So it's a challenge. The last time we spoke, you talked about how you strolled into work every morning, sort of mimicking Dr. Robby's routine — that entrance to the hospital, listening to "Baby" by Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise. Is that still the case for Season 2? No, we have a different opening this year. So, I have a different ritual and routine every morning. But I'm a creature of habit, and so I do my odd, little eccentric things every day to get ready. How are you feeling about this new season? It was recently revealed that your co-star Tracy Ifeachor would not appear in Season 2; there has been speculation about that decision and whether it's linked to her allegedly being a member of a London evangelical megachurch that performs 'gay exorcisms.' Can you comment on the reason for parting ways? I can only comment and say that that was all revelatory to me. All these stories that have come out subsequently are news to us. It had nothing to do with anything like that. How are you feeling about that kind of cast change early in the show's run, or what it means for Season 2? We made it clear at the outset that part of being in a realistic teaching hospital is a revolving door of characters, whether you have somebody not come back, or you have somebody die, or whether you have somebody rotate to another department or go on another specialty. These are the things that we pull our hair out in the writers' room trying to figure out how to keep this ensemble together for as long as time possible, but knowing that there has to be a revolution of characters coming through to keep the place realistic. And the character of Collins was a significant character in the first season, and Tracy was amazing. I loved working with her. I wish her all the best in her future. I heard she got another gig. As far as how this impacts your character, there's concern about Dr. Robby's mental health. Fans want to see Dr. Robby smile. Are you smiling in Season 2? [Laughs] If it means that much to you, I'll trying to work one in. I would imagine it'll be easy today. How do you plan to celebrate? I looked at that list of nominees that I'm in the company of, and I send my congratulations to all of them. It's incredibly gratifying and humbling to be included in their company. I'm going to celebrate quietly with my family and come back to work tomorrow. Have you heard from your "ER" counterparts? George Clooney? Eriq La Salle? They don't get up this early. [Laughs] What's a memory that stands out from your last Emmys experience? Talk about perspective. It was such a beautiful, wonderful, heady time for me that the last time I was nominated, I was annoyingly blasé about it, and if I had known that it was going to be 20-plus years before I was invited to the party again, I think I would have had a better time. Before I let you get back to work, tell me: what's the medical procedure on the docket for you today? Today I'm removing some taser barbs from the back of a thrashing patient's neck. We're shooting, actually, an episode that I wrote, so it's really kind of a heavy week already. Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyone's talking about from the L.A. Times. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
CBS News
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
"The Pitt" snags 13 Emmy nominations, including best drama and best actor
"The Pitt," the popular Pittsburgh-set medical drama starring Noah Wyle, snagged 13 Emmy nominations, including for best drama and best actor. The HBO Max series also got nods for supporting actress, directing, writing, sound editing, makeup and casting. While "The Pitt" got more than a dozen nominations, it was Apple TV+'s "Severance" that stole the show with 27 nominations overall. HBO Max's "The Penguin" got 24, and HBO Max's "The White Lotus" and Apple TV+'s "The Studio" each got 23. "The Pitt," which stars Wyle as Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, has been lauded for its medical accuracy as well as its gripping real-time format, with 15 hour-long episodes covering a 15-hour ER shift. "This medical drama series offers a realistic look at the challenges healthcare workers face, as seen through the experiences of the frontline heroes at a Pittsburgh hospital," the description on HBO Max reads. While most of the first season was filmed on a set in Burbank, California, that looked like Allegheny General Hospital, the show spent three days filming in Pittsburgh last September. The crew shot drone footage above the hospital and around the city, and some scenes were shot on the hospital's helipad. "The Pitt" is produced by R. Scott Gemmill, John Wells and Michael Hissrich, all of whom have previously worked with Wyle on "ER." Wells and Hissrich are both Carnegie Mellon University graduates, giving the show even more of a Pittsburgh connection. Production is currently underway for the second season of "The Pitt." It's slated for a January 2026 premiere, according to Variety.
