The Pitt’s Supriya Ganesh made a rare comment about why her character was written off ahead of season 3.
Ganesh, 28, told the Los Angeles Times in a profile published on Wednesday, June 3, that it was a “creative decision” made by executive producers R. Scott Gemmill, Noah Wyle and John Wells.
“They work with such intention on the show and make all the choices that they make for that reason,” she noted about the shocking narrative shakeup. “So I think it’s better to ask them for answers.”
Ganesh chose to focus on the positive. “I’m going to treasure all the memories I had working with these two [Sepideh Moafi and Isa Briones] and everyone else,” she added. “It’s been so great just getting all the love from the fans. I feel sad for them, too, that they won’t get to see this character.”
The actress made her mark on HBO Max’s The Pitt when she was introduced in the role of Samira Mohan. Ganesh appeared in two seasons before news broke in March that she would be written out of the show after season 2. The decision received backlash from fans who were still upset about Tracy Ifeachor‘s exit after season 1. Both departures were referred to as a creative choice.
“It’s sort of the nature of the show. Unfortunately, the way the medical profession works, you come in, you learn, you move on, and we want to try and be as truthful to that process as possible,” Gemmill explained to Us Weekly at the time. “So we’re going to turn over our cast. But I think it’s a great launching pad for people, and that’s the best we can do.”
In a separate interview, Gemmill addressed the criticism surrounding multiple women of color leaving The Pitt.
“It eliminates the false jeopardy some shows have,” he told Vulture. “[Mohan] is somebody who doesn’t have a job lined up and might not know where she’s going next, and we’re trying to build up the uncertainty that these young physicians face.”
The interviewer pointed out to Gemmill that the show’s two major departures have both been women of color. In response, Gemmill called it “just a by-product of having a diverse cast,” adding, “We have a lot of women, and a lot of women of color. It’s just a coincidence more than anything else.”
Wyle, 54, also defended the casting shakeup.
“Emergency rooms have a high revolving door,” Wyle told Variety at PaleyFest’s screening of The Pitt earlier this month. “As always, we try to bring in new characters or promote from within as we go through these cast changes and try to keep the story lines fresh.”
Wyle didn’t rule out more departures before the show starts filming season 3, adding, “It’s an inevitability that’s going to happen every season with this show, because as writers we’re hard-pressed to figure out what a lapse of time we can have and keep most of the ensemble together realistically.”
He concluded: “Obviously Supriya has been a huge part of our show since the beginning. Dr. Mohan is a beloved character, and I love playing with her and working with Supriya, and we wish her all the best in her next endeavors, and we’re going to miss her.”
The Pitt has been renewed for season 3 on HBO Max.
