This Thanksgiving, the cast of The Pitt is turning the spotlight on healthcare professionals, expressing heartfelt gratitude for their tireless dedication.

Though actors such as Noah Wyle, Supriya Ganesh, and Shabana Azeez portray doctors on screen, they have a profound appreciation for the challenging and vital roles that real-life hospital staff play.

“The pandemic brought an incredible wave of appreciation for frontline workers and the risks they face,” Wyle, 54, shared exclusively with Us Weekly during UCLA Health’s annual brunch for The Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House in October. “People made noise with pots and pans, cheering them at subway stops. It became almost a celebratory performance, which eventually faded away.”

However, Wyle points out that the unwavering commitment of doctors, nurses, and support staff remained constant, as they continued performing their duties with the same dedication, regardless of public recognition.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we asked several The Pitt cast members what amazes them about healthcare workers. Their responses overflowed with appreciation for these professionals’ daily efforts.

Katherine LaNasa

“I have to say that I had cancer recently, and the nurses that took the time to just give them themselves — and they really didn’t have to — to just say those little words of encouragement, to bring a warm blanket, things like that, I just really honor them and feel so grateful,” LaNasa, who plays charge nurse Dana Evans, told Us. “In my experience, I did not feel victimized by my cancer experience. I felt lucky to have medical care, to have caring people attending to me, to live in a country where I have cancer detection screening, things like that, and just to really be held by the health care system that we have, which is hanging on by a thread, which is why we need to support places like the Stuart House and The Rape Treatment Center.”

Supriya Ganesha

“I admire health care workers for their compassion, empathy and selflessness, especially in a system that’s increasingly deprioritizing their needs,” Ganesha, who plays Dr. Samira Mohan, told Us. “There are very few professions that are truly in such service to others, and I commend them for everything they choose to face just to make a positive difference in someone’s life. Thank you for everything you do!”

Shabana Azeez

“Dedicating your life to saving lives is such a brave thing to do. Every single health care worker is a hero,” Azeez, who plays Dr. Victoria Javadi, explained to Us. “I’m grateful for the strength they have to experience so much death and suffering on a daily basis and respond with empathy and kindness. They make so many sacrifices and give us so much. I hope that we as a society can give them the love and gratitude they deserve.”

Noah Wyle

Just because the coronavirus pandemic passed doesn’t mean the job of a health care worker has gotten easier, according to Wyle.

“If anything, their jobs have gotten harder. People are coming in sicker, higher acuity. They’re coming in angrier. They’re having to wait longer because of boarding crises, nursing shortages, supply chain issues,” Wyle, who plays Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, shared with Us. “The toll that it takes on the staff is immense. That’s why you see the highest incidence of alcoholism, drug addiction, divorce, suicide — not just among the medical specialty, but among any profession in frontline workers. So doing a show that shines a light a little bit and hopefully raises empathy and compassion for people that are in those jobs who are only there to pick up our broken pieces, seems like the right thing to do.”

The Pitt is streaming now on HBO Max with season 2 set to premiere in early 2026.