While I fully expected The Pitt to get tons of 2026 Emmy nominations, clearly, the nods were surprising to the cast. Of the 26 total noms the series received, eight actors were recognized in the big acting categories. Five of those eight are first-time nominees, and all of them had funny yet sincere reactions, with one actress in particular not being totally convinced all this was real.
Now, before we get into the reactions, let’s go over the nominations for these actors. Katherine LaNasa, Shawn Hatosy and Noah Wyle, all of whom won last year, were nominated again for their performances as Dana, Abbot and Robby, respectively. Alongside the returning winners, Taylor Dearden (Mel), Fiona Dourif (McKay), Sepideh Moafi (Al-Hashimi), Patrick Ball (Langdon) and Gerran Howell (Whitaker) received their first nominations for their supporting performances in The Pitt.
So, they all reacted to the news, with Fiona Dourif specifically not believing it at first.
Fiona Dourif Didn’t Believe She Got An Emmy Nomination At First
Considering the number of 2025 Emmys won by The Pitt, the acclaim for Season 2 and the sheer popularity of the series on the 2026 TV schedule, lots of 2026 nominations were anticipated. However, the number of actors who got nods was a bit surprising. In fact, Fiona Dourif, who plays Cassie McKay, was so shocked she didn’t believe it at first, as she wrote on Instagram:
My agent called me and I accused him of playing a trick on me, but then everybody called me and I became convinced. Last picture is apparently my face all this morning. Thanks everyone! The Pitt is the best tribe to belong to. I think of all 250 of us as a single organism and I’m so grateful to be a part of it I could die.
Well, that’s both hilarious and very sweet. I also can’t say I blame her. If I were an actor and learned I had gotten my first Emmy nomination, I too would not believe it at first. Thankfully, enough people told Dourif it was real that she eventually believed it. However, the shock she referenced in her post didn't go away, as you can see in the final image of her Instagram post:
Now, while this reaction was my favorite, Dourif’s fellow co-stars and first-time nominees also had some priceless reactions we need to talk about.
The Rest Of The Pitt’s First-Time Nominees Had Funny Yet Sincere Reactions
Overall, The Pitt cast’s reactions to this news were incredible. They were equal parts wholesome and funny, and overall they were all very grateful for the recognition. To prove that point, here are excerpts from the statements posted by the four other first-time nominees:
- “My head just fell off. Hope I find it soon. 🫠 Thank you, [Television Academy] members, for this unbelievable (literally) honor. ❤️✨”🙏🏽-Sepideh Moafi on Instagram
- “I unfortunately am completely and utterly whelmed and do not what to know how to say. But thank you all so much. I am blown away. I am the luckiest idiot in the entire world. Thank you all so much for the unbelievable amount of love you’re giving me rn. Too much. Cannot compute.” Patrick Ball on Instagram Stories
- “I am so honored to be nominated — this is all a cherry on top of a cherry on top of a cherry…..honestly it’s more a pile of cherries than sundae at this point. ❤️”-Taylor Dearden on Instagram
- “Hard to articulate this yet…To be nominated for an Emmy – or even considered – feels completely surreal for this little Welsh boy. I feel unbelievably lucky to be part of a show made by people who give everything to it, every single day.” -Gerran Howell on Instagram Stories
Well, this is all so wonderful to see. All these actors, and the entire ensemble of The Pitt, are remarkable, and they’re very deserving of this recognition. I’m thrilled that they’re all so excited about this news, and I was pleasantly surprised by how funny their reactions to it were.
Now, I can’t wait to see how they react if they take home the gold. So, to see if The Pitt some Emmys this year, be sure to tune into the ceremony on September 14 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC or with a Peacock subscription.
