While addressing the criticism surrounding multiple women of color leaving The Pitt, creator R. Scott Gemmill referred to it as “just a coincidence.”
Gemmill weighed in on the backlash after the season 2 finale on Thursday, April 16, showed Supriya Ganesh‘s character, Dr. Samira Mohan, for the last time. Gemmill defended the decision to write off Mohan, telling Vulture, “It eliminates the false jeopardy some shows have. [Mohan] is somebody who doesn’t have a job lined up and might not know where she’s going next, and we’re trying to build up the uncertainty that these young physicians face.”
The interviewer pointed out to Gemmill that the show’s two major departures have both been women of color. In response, Gemmill called it “just a by-product of having a diverse cast.”
“We have a lot of women, and a lot of women of color,” he added. “It’s just a coincidence more than anything else.”
News broke earlier this month that Ganesh, 28, would be written out of the show after season 2. The decision received backlash from fans who were still upset about Tracy Ifeachor’s exit after season 1. Both departures were referred to as a creative choice.
“It’s sort of the nature of the show. Unfortunately, the way the medical profession works, you come in, you learn, you move on, and we want to try and be as truthful to that process as possible,” Gemmill explained to Us Weekly earlier this month. “So we’re going to turn over our cast. But I think it’s a great launching pad for people, and that’s the best we can do.”
The Pitt lead Noah Wyle, who is the only cast member confirmed to be at the center of every season, weighed in on the casting shakeup.
“Emergency rooms have a high revolving door,” Wyle, 54, told Variety at PaleyFest’s screening of The Pitt on Sunday, April 12. “As always, we try to bring in new characters or promote from within as we go through these cast changes and try to keep the story lines fresh.”
Wyle, who plays Dr. Robby, didn’t rule out more departures before the show starts filming season 3, adding, “It’s an inevitability that’s going to happen every season with this show, because as writers we’re hard-pressed to figure out what a lapse of time we can have and keep most of the ensemble together realistically.”
He concluded: “Obviously Supriya has been a huge part of our show since the beginning. Dr. Mohan is a beloved character, and I love playing with her and working with Supriya, and we wish her all the best in her next endeavors, and we’re going to miss her.”
Ganesh, for her part, previously told Us in February that she was “curious” where her character’s arc would be when season 3 began, noting, “It’s up to the writers. Let’s see where they end up taking her.”
Ganesh continued: “I think we left her in a really interesting spot. I’m really curious where she ends up going.”
The Pitt is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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