On The Pitt, Dr. Al-Hashimi Makes One Thing Clear: She’s in Charge

There’s a unique discomfort that accompanies starting a new job, especially when that new job is being the new boss. How do you strike a balance between getting buy-in and building rapport with your underlings, while simultaneously earning their respect and establishing your authority?

That’s the predicament of Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, the new attending on season 2 of HBO’s golden goose, The Pitt. She brings in bagels (an easy way to curry favor) but also threatens a resident with the terror of having to repeat her second year within hours of meeting her.

We caught up with Sepideh Moafi, who portrays Al-Hashimi, to hear about her experience as the new kid in school, joining the tight-knit cast in its sophomore year.

Betches: We meet your character, Dr. Al-Hashimi, on her first day of work as a new attending in The Pitt. How did that experience compare to your first day on set?

Moafi: My character comes in as a disruptor, but as an actor, you're not trying to change the culture, you're not trying to change the way things run and the flow of things, especially as things are flowing so beautifully. But yeah, there were obviously nerves and wanting to deliver.

It was really intimidating playing a character who has such vast experience as a doctor — it’s like 15 years under your belt or something. Especially working alongside Noah, who's basically a naturalized doctor from all his years on ER and now The Pitt. But yeah, we're so well supported that anytime I would feel self-conscious or insecure, I would just ask questions, and they always had doctors and nurses available for us.

Betches: That sounds like a great environment. Can you tell me more about how you work with the doctors on staff?

Moafi: We have advisors who are available 24/7. I was definitely kind of annoying and would call them and be like, "Well, what do you feel about this case? What do you feel about this moment? What would you do? What do you think Dr. Robby would do?"

For the first episode, we had Dr. Lizzie. She’s also a female attending herself, and I later found out she kind of inspired Dr. Al-Hashimi. It was nice to get that feminine eye and perspective, because the healthcare community can feel like a boys' club.

Betches: It’s a hot topic that The Pitt is a no phones set. What was that experience like?

Moafi: Yeah, that was the first time I had experienced that type of set culture. I mean, we're probably a set with the most bibliophiles in the industry. They set up a library at one of the stages. It was kind of like you could take whatever book you wanted, but you were encouraged to also donate a book. On long days, I tend to memorize poems in between takes.

Betches: So we know the cast isn’t on their phones, but someone who is is Javadi, who we learn has a major TikTok presence as “Dr. J.” Who on the cast do you think could make it as a TikToker?

Moafi: Supriya (Dr. Mohan) and Shabana (Javadi) are really savvy with social media and tech and all that, especially Supriya. I have full confidence that Supriya could do it, and very successfully.

Betches: If you had to be treated in the ER by one of the doctors from The Pitt, who would you choose?

Moafi: Ooh, probably Dr. Mohan or Dr. King. Yeah, I think any of the female physicians or nurses. Not to throw shade or anything at the men, but yeah, I think we have really strong women on this cast. Because there's a nice combination of compassion and attention to detail, and really taking the individual under consideration, which I appreciate about my own doctor.

Betches: Is there anything you’d want to steal from the set to commemorate your experience?

Moafi: I love my scrub top. All of our scrubs are designed by Figs, so they have these different, unique designs. It gives a little bit more room for self-expression — historically, we haven’t been able to see doctors express their personalities through fashion. But I just love the collar, and what that says about who she is and how she wants to present herself to the world.

Betches: Last question, this one’s a heavy-hitter. Do your hands get super dry from all the hand sanitizer?

Moafi: 100%. Somebody asked me earlier in an interview today, who has the driest hands on set? I'm like, "Definitely Noah, because of the years he's been in." Take after take, by the end of the day, you're like, "Wow, it’s a lot."