Diksha Sundriyal
The second season of HBO Max’s ‘The Pitt’ brings back the chaos of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. While we see most of the familiar faces return, there are also new characters thrown into the mix to keep things competitive and tense. The arrival of two new residents shakes things up as they not only force their superiors to look at leadership from a new angle, but they also make their contemporaries up their game. With residents James Ogilvie and Joy Kwon, the season becomes even more interesting, especially as the stakes escalate with each episode. SPOILERS AHEAD.
James Ogilvie and Joy Kwon Bring More Drama to the Pitt
The second season of ‘The Pitt’ introduces two new residents, James Ogilvie and Joy Kwon, both of whom are put under the mentorship of the newly minted Dr. Dennis Whitaker. Ogilvie is a fourth-year med student who exhibits an air of overconfidence and arrogance that might remind the audience of Dr. Trinity Santos’ early days in the Pitt. While he may have the knowledge and the confidence to display it, he does seem to lack the empathy required to deal with the many patients that pass through the trauma center.
In the second episode, his competitive side is on full display. In one instance, he points out a point that Whitaker missed while treating Louie, and in another instance, he competes with Victoria to establish himself as the more knowledgeable person in the room. He also doesn’t shy away from trying to charm his superiors to establish a rapport, as he does by talking with Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi in Persian. This shows that he has strong ambition, and he is ready to do whatever it takes to get where he wants.
While he seems overly interested, Joy Kwon balances things out by showing little to no interest at all. She is a third-year medical student who lacks enthusiasm, and any comment she makes shows just how disinterested she is in everyone and everything around her. This, however, doesn’t mean she lacks the knowledge or expertise to be in the Pitt. The early episodes do little to crack her shell, but as pressure mounts on the doctors, she just might turn out to be the surprise who rises to the occasion in the most unexpected ways.
Lucas Iverson and Irene Choi Inhabit Ogilvie and Kwon’s Differences
Lucas Iverson plays the role of James Ogilvie, and Irene Choi plays Joy Kwon in the second season of ‘The Pitt.’ Iverson most recently appeared in HBO’s period drama, ‘The Gilded Age.’ He has also appeared in short films, ‘Hopelessly’ and ‘I Am Here,’ and anthology films, ‘Love: Augmented’ and ‘Boys Night.’ Hailing from Baltimore, the actor is a Yale School of Drama graduate and has extensively worked in theatre. His credits include being a part of the Yale Repertory Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Premiere Stages, and Texas Shakespeare Festival, among others. Apart from acting, he also indulges in writing. Away from work, he likes to spend time in the theatre watching plays and reading alongside his cats.
Irene Choi’s acting credits are more numerous and varied. She is known for playing Asian Annie in ‘Community,’ and has also appeared in ‘Insatiable,’ ‘Truth Be Told,’ ‘Pam & Tommy,’ ‘The Good Doctor‘ and ‘Mozart in the Jungle.’ She fell in love with acting at a young age, especially while watching the episodes of ‘Sesame Street.’ However, the idea of acting as a career remained a fantasy, as she turned towards a different line of work after college. After working a 9-5 corporate job in Los Angeles, she decided to take a chance on her dreams. She quit her job, and with no backup or acting job lined up for her, she jumped headfirst into Hollywood. Now, with ‘The Pitt,’ she continues to explore characters that leave a mark on the audience.
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