The success of Noah Wyle-starrer medical drama The Pitt has been unprecedented. The show, which features a large ensemble cast of fresh and unknown faces, has been a sensational hit, winning awards and topping ratings charts through its first two seasons. One of the breakout stars of the show is Patrick Ball, who plays the disgraced ER resident Dr Langdon on the show. The show is the 36-year-old’s first lead role after a decade of struggles. In a recent interview, Patrick broke down in tears, revealing how the show saved him from debt.
Patrick Ball says The Pitt helped him pay off debt
Patrick Ball studied journalism at the University of North Carolina before dropping out to pursue acting. After starting work in theatre, he completed a BFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This education led him to incur $80,000 in student loan debt.
In an interview with Cultured Mag, when asked how The Pitt helped him, Patrick paused and broke down, before responding, “I paid off my student loans like three months into The Pitt, and that was a really profound moment ‘cause I thought I was gonna die with it. It’s a huge burden to carry, and a lot of people carry it. I was $80,000 in debt, and I had been through a series of failed relationships where my financial insecurity was a real problem. I had just thought that was going to be my life forever, and that is a really heavy thing to live with. Paying off those student loans and getting back to zero, I remember being like, Man, if this show works, great. If it doesn’t work, they can’t take that away from me. I am out of debt. No take-backsies on that.”
In the same interview, Patrick revealed that while waiting for his big break, he worked a large variety of jobs. “I was doing these seminars where they’d bring me into Blackrock and Blackstone and Goldman Sachs, and they would want to teach these young administrators how to have difficult conversations, à la how to fire somebody. They would bring me in as an actor so that these administrators could get practice firing someone. So I have been fired more than anyone you’ve ever met, I promise you. I’ve been fired thousands of times. And then the call for The Pitt came in, and everything was different,” he said.
All about The Pitt
Each season of The Pitt tells the story of a single day, a 15-hour shift, of the staff working in the emergency room of a Pittsburgh hospital. Noah Wyle stars as Dr Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, the attending physician. The ensemble cast also includes Tracy Ifeachor, Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, and Shabana Azeez. The show won five Emmys for its first season, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Casting. The second season is currently airing.
