Patrick Ball has revealed just how intense filming HBO Max’s hit medical drama ‘The Pitt‘ can be. While speaking with fellow actor Paul Anthony Kelly for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Ball shared that spending months on the show’s hospital set felt like living in a “Groundhog Day alternative reality.”
The actor explained how the demanding production schedule and repetitive setting affected him emotionally, and why stepping away from the show made him realize just how deeply he had been living in Dr. Langdon’s world.
Why Patrick Ball Felt Trapped In The Hospital World Of ‘The Pitt’
During his conversation with Paul Anthony Kelly on Variety, Ball explained that after spending eight months working on the same soundstage under the same fluorescent lights, the production began to feel disconnected from normal life. He pointed out that nearly the entire show takes place in the same hospital environment.
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“Season 1, there was very little opportunity for editorial input on a costume level, because we’re all in scrubs every day,” he said. One of the few character details he could control was the type of shoes Dr. Langdon wore. As filming continued, Ball found himself settling into a routine that rarely changed.
“But after eight months of clocking in at ‘The Pitt’ on the same soundstage, under the same fluorescent lights, and the whole season is one day — you really do enter this ‘Groundhog’s Day’ alternative reality,” he explained. Because ‘The Pitt‘ takes place almost entirely in the hospital, the cast spends most of its time in the same location.
Ball noted that there are very few set changes throughout production. The actor also added, “Noah has talked about this — you don’t realize, until you wrap and step out of it and go away for a couple of weeks, you’re like, ‘Whoa, I have been so depressed. I have been a hot mess for the last eight months and did not even realize it.’”
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How Langdon’s Recovery Story Reflected That Experience
Ball also discussed how he used small details to show Dr. Langdon’s emotional journey. One example was a bracelet that his character wore. In Season 1, Langdon wore a bracelet made by his child. It represented a sense of warmth and playfulness despite everything happening around him.
When the character returned in Season 2 after rehab, that bracelet was gone. Ball explained that it was replaced with a wooden recovery bracelet that reflected Langdon’s new reality. He said people going through recovery often worry about losing part of themselves when they leave old habits behind. “Will I be the same? People will still think that I’m funny? Will they find me interesting?” he said.
Although Langdon faces many challenges, Ball remains optimistic about the character’s future. “I am very excited to have a third act to this story. Because I do not think for a second that to get help is to give up your joy,” he said. Looking ahead, he believes recovery can lead to deeper, more meaningful happiness. After spending months living like that, Ball is eager to see where Langdon’s journey goes next.
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