Katherine LaNasa opens up about feeling the pressure to deliver in season 2 of The Pitt after her Emmy win, sharing how stepping into a more prominent role and staying committed to the work is shaping her approach to the HBO drama’s highly anticipated return.
Katherine LaNasa is stepping into season 2 of The Pitt with a brand-new outlook — and a lot more eyes on her. After winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in September for her performance as nurse Dana Evans, the 58-year-old star admits the honor comes with real pressure.
Speaking with PEOPLE at the Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House Annual Brunch in Los Angeles, LaNasa reflected on how her role has evolved since the medical procedural’s breakout first season. “I think in season 1, I shined from the back,” she said of her performance. “And I didn’t know that I was, but that happened. And now I’m more in the front.”
With her character stepping forward in the narrative, LaNasa is embracing new expectations — while also wondering how she’ll rise to meet them. “So it’s like, can I shine in the front, can I lead from the front? We have to see,” she shared.
To keep grounded ahead of the show’s return, LaNasa says the antidote to fear is simple: do the work. “To do the research, to get into the work, to know your lines, to study, to go to the rape treatment center and do background work if you have a rape story,” she explained. For her, preparation is the key to confidence.
LaNasa took home her first-ever Emmy at the 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. She won in a stacked category that included Patricia Arquette (Severance), Carrie Coon (The White Lotus), Julianne Nicholson (Paradise), Parker Posey (The White Lotus), Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus), and Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus). Even before her victory, the nomination alone felt monumental. “It’s crazy. You stay on the sidelines for so much of your career, you don’t really ever expect to be one of the nominees,” she told PEOPLE. “To be one is really just delightful. I feel like I got a ticket to ride and I’m happy about it.”
The Pitt also earned the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, adding even more momentum heading into season 2. During her acceptance speech, LaNasa thanked her family, the nurses who inspired her portrayal, and her costar Noah Wyle — calling him “the incomparable Noah Wyle.” She also praised producer John Wells, noting, “My whole career I wanted to work for John Wells and he elevates everything.”
Fans won’t have to wait long to see what’s next for Dana Evans and the rest of the staff at the Pittsburgh hospital. The second season of The Pitt arrives on HBO in January, with the story picking up 10 months after the season 1 finale. The time jump was intentional, showrunner R. Scott Gemmill told EW, explaining that they wanted the timeline to realistically reflect Frank Langdon’s recovery period. “We knew it had to be about 10 months,” he said. For season 2, the story shifts from Labor Day to a Fourth of July setting.
Back in August, HBO released the first teaser for the new episodes, giving fans an early look at the high-stakes drama to come. With LaNasa now positioned more prominently in the series, her journey — both on-screen and behind the scenes — is set to be one of the most compelling parts of the show’s return.
The Pitt season 2 premieres in January on HBO.
