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Shabana Azeez Teases “New Side” Of Healthcare In The Pitt Season 3
The actor is excited about showcasing “vulnerable” stories when the series returns this January.
The first teaser for The Pitt Season 3 gave fans plenty to talk about, from its new perspective on the night shift to an apparently awkward moment between Dr. Robby and Dr. Langdon. And of course, viewers quickly noted that their fan-favorite medical student Victoria Javadi was back in the ER — this time sporting a white coat that reflects her new specialty.
As Shabana Azeez previously shared with Bustle, her character will be embarking on a psychiatry rotation as a fourth-year student doctor. Now, in a recent chat ahead of the Emmys — where The Pitt would be named Outstanding Drama for the second year in a row — Azeez reflects on what that pivot will look like when Season 3 premieres in January.
“I’m really excited about showing psychiatry as a specialty in medicine. Because I think it’s such an impactful part of healthcare,” she says. “Like, it really is the most vulnerable people — and as a society, I’m not sure that we’re taking care of people who are in dire straits and need psychiatric assistance and support as much as we could be.”
The Pitt has previously explored stories that intersect with psychiatry. But exploring the specialty through the lens of a beloved character could help the show dig in even deeper. As the first teaser footage shows, Javadi’s day will involve some harrowing moments.
“I think The Pitt’s always been incredibly impact-driven and very cognizant of social issues and engaging with them wholeheartedly — not turning away, not washing our hands of the muck and the messiness of the human experience and American healthcare,” Azeez says. “And so, I’m really excited that my character’s a vessel to explore a new side of it. Because it is a show, obviously, about the ED. But to just get a taste of another discipline in that way — and another world of medicine in that way — I think will hopefully be really fruitful for America.”
Javadi’s interest in this area of healthcare was established in Season 2. As she voiced in one moment of frustration, “The more time I spend here, the more I realize the importance of mental health — for patients and for us.”
Following Dr. Whitaker’s suggestion that she focus on exactly that, Javadi asked Robby for his thoughts on specializing in psych, and he assured her, “I think that you could do anything that you put your mind to, Victoria.”
