From the Set: The cast of CHICAGO MED give us a look at what to expect!
Last week, to celebrate the premiere of CHICAGO MED, the third in the Chicago trilogy created and engineered by Dick Wolf, I spent some time in Chicago talking to as many members of the cast as I was able to!
To introduce you to the characters, here is a bit of a cast breakdown (h/t Marissa for putting this together), and if we had the chance to speak with them, I’ve included a video (all videos can be found on YouTube) –
A very solid premiere that introduces us to Connor Rhoades, Colin Donnell’s hot shot new Trauma boss, kicks off what I’m sure is going to be a very successful third leg to a series that I hope continues for a long time! Check it out!!
Nick Gehlfuss: Dr. Will Halstead, ER Doc*
Gehlfuss had a few guest spots on shows such as, The Good Wife, Shameless and Murder in the First. We’ve been seeing him weaved seamlessly into FIRE and PD over the course of this and last season, and he gave us some insight on what we’ll see from Will as he stands on his own:
*The advisors are still trying to explain how he went from a Surgeon to an ER doc, but it works in the premiere!
Oliver Platt: Dr. Daniel Charles, Psychiatrist.
Known for his roles in movies since the ‘90s such as Beethoven, Benny & Joon and Simon Birch. We’ve also been seeing the good Dr make his way through the series, as he helped Sylvie deal with letting go of the motherless child in the ER, while helping Erin come out of her downward spiral to get back into Voight’s good graces. Dick Wolf tells us that he created this character with ONLY Oliver Platt in mind, they extended the offer to Oliver Platt, and the rest, as they say, is history!
In the series premiere, we meet a patient that he’s been working with for over a decade! We get a sense of their history, and his interaction with Colin Donnell’s character gives us a look into how easily these docs and nurses can relate
S. Epatha Merkerson: Sharon Goodwin, Head of the Hospital
Known most for her role on Law & Order for over 300 episodes – she was looking for a job when she emailed Dick Wolf and said “I need a job.” She said that she heard back almost immediately that this role had come up! She provides the cool head / calm attitude for the docs in CHICAGO MED’s Emergency Department.
Rachel DiPillo: Sarah Reese, Med Student
Rachel’s playing a 4th year med student who is very reluctant to dive into the urgency of the ER. She’s much more comfortable in the lab, working where few patients ever go.
We chatted with these ladies about their relationship and how the oldest cast member and youngest cast member work together so well.
Yaya DaCosta: April Sexton, Nurse
Known for being the runner up for America’s Next Top Model of Cycle 3 (being a huge ANTM fan, she thanked me profusely when I told her what a fan I was…), being a part of All my Children and starring in the Whitney Houston lifetime movie. We’ve gotten to know Yaya’s character, April, a bit from her platonic and romantic past (present?) with CHICAGO FIRE’s Severide. She went off on a bit of an adventure, but she’s back now, and she’s good.
In the premiere, there’s a bit of a spark with one of the doctors that I hope they explore. They also aren’t afraid to celebrate women friendships and so far, no cattiness seems to be on the horizon!
Colin Donnell: Dr. Connor Rhodes, Head of the ER
Most known for his role as Tommy Merlyn in Arrow; his other roles include Pan Am and The Affair. He’s the Sean Bean of a variety of shows (read: he dies a lot). Connor is introduced on his way into work on the first day, and Colin previewed a bit of what that’s like, and what to expect from him on a personal level!
Torrey DeVitto: Dr. Natalie Manning, ER Doc
Her most recognizable role comes from One Tree Hill, as Nanny Carrie. Her other notable roles are from Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries. Natalie is one of the capable docs in the Emergency Department, and she’s doing her best to handle being a pregnant widow who has a unique history with one of the docs.
We don’t get to explore her character too much in the premiere, but you get the sense that she’s a strong woman who doesn’t let a little thing like a giant baby belly get in the way of saving the lives of those around her. It’s a far cry from the craziness of Nanny Carrie (and thank heavens for that) – she’s immediately relatable and I loved that about her.
Brian Tee: Dr. Ethan Choi, ER Doc
Known for roles in Austin Powers, The Wolverine and Jurassic World. Dr Choi has a military background that helps him with the hustle and bustle of MED’s ER – Tee spent some time chatting with us about what to expect from him, and if we’ll see any signs of PTSD from this former soldier:
Check out some additional pics from the visits, where we got to see Colin Donnell and Nick Gehlfuss demonstrate what it’s like to work their way through surgery on set!
