Sumith Prasad
The sixth season of ABC’s medical series ‘The Good Doctor’ follows a tumultuous phase of Dr. Audrey Lim’s life. She gets paralyzed after Dr. Shaun Murphy’s surgery on her to save her life. Lim deals with the limitations of her paralysis and her hostile feelings toward Shaun in the first half of the season. Seeing Lim’s struggles, Dr. Danica “Danni” Powell introduces her to several individuals who are wheelchair-bound so she feels belonged in a group. Through Powell, Lim meets and gets closer to Dr. Clay Porter. If you are intrigued about the new character, here’s everything you need to know about him! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Who is Clay Porter?
Lim and Clay meet for the first time when the former joins Powell to play basketball. Clay plays with the duo and eventually asks Lim out. He succeeds in surprising her several times by showing up with dinner at the end of hectic days. Since Clay is also wheelchair-bound, Lim feels comfortable sharing a part of her turbulent life with him. As a fellow doctor, Clay understands Lim’s obligations and commitment to her profession better than anyone, which makes them compatible. When Lim decides to proceed with the surgery to overcome her paralysis, Clay proposes to her, indicating that he will be with her regardless of the outcome of the surgery.
In the tenth episode of season 6, it is revealed that Lim starts to walk again. She hasn’t yet responded to Clay’s proposal but she doesn’t have any doubts regarding her feelings for him. Clay commendably understands Lim’s conflicts and gives her all the time she needs to make a decision concerning the proposal without getting offended by her wait. He even tries his best to eliminate any pressure Lim has by taking the ring back upon assuring her that it will be hers if she decides to say yes. In the same episode, Lim asks Clay whether he will be open to moving in with her and he replies yes. They share an intimate moment as Clay accepts a key to her home.
Clay’s patience and understanding make Lim’s life extremely easier, especially during a hard period. His love for her also makes her feel contented. In one of the upcoming episodes of the series, we can expect her to finally reply yes to his proposal. If that’s the case, her colleagues will have a heartwarming wedding to look forward to.
Michael Patrick Thornton Plays Clay Porter
Michael Patrick Thornton, who is known for his performance as Dr. Gabriel Fife in ABC’s medical drama ‘Private Practice,’ plays Clay Porter in ‘The Good Doctor.’ Thornton is an acclaimed theatre personality, known as the co-founder and artistic director of Chicago’s The Gift Theatre. He was part of the cast of several critically approved productions such as Sam Gold’s Broadway production of ‘Macbeth,’ for which he shared the stage with Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. He has performed in several famed theatres such as Steppenwolf Theatre, Olney Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, etc.
Like Clay Porter, Thornton is also a person with a disability. Two strokes in 2003 left him paralyzed but the same didn’t stop him from pursuing his career as an artist. In 2016, he became the first actor ever to perform onstage while wearing a robotic exoskeleton with his performance as the titular character of ‘Richard III.’ Thornton’s other major credits include Stanton in ‘The Jamz,’ Jim Evans in ‘The Red Line,’ Evan Moore in ‘Madam Secretary,’ Russ in ‘A Million Little Things,’ Judge Fitzpatrick in ‘61st Street,’ Father Sean in ‘Let the Right One In,’ etc. He also lends his voice to Stewart in ‘Chicago Party Aunt.’
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