Actor Brittany Allen was home in bed in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning when she learned she was among the 25 Emmy nods that “The Pitt” received. The HBO medical drama was this year’s most nominated show, scoring recognition from the Television Academy for many of the doctor and nurse characters in its cast, including star Noah Wyle. But Allen had extra reason to celebrate. After all, she was the one who put herself forward for awards consideration.
“This industry really doesn’t do you any favors. Nobody’s got your back but yourself,” Allen said by phone from LA. “When you put so much work into something, you want to give it the best shot to be recognized. It felt important to stand up and say, ‘Hey, take a look at what I did,’ and to fight for it and to be my own advocate.”
Allen guest starred in seven episodes of the show’s second season, playing Roxie Hamler, a young mother with terminal cancer who makes the difficult decision to die, rather than continue with her pain. While dozens of patients come and go through the hospital emergency ward across the season’s 15 episodes, Roxie’s quiet suffering and stoic dignity felt particularly memorable to viewers — and, it turns out, to Emmys voters.
