The Pitt Actors Weren’t Allowed To Use One Item On Set

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2025’s standout series, “The Pitt“, has left audiences captivated. The gripping medical drama has seen massive attendance at its premiere season, with each episode depicting a single hour of a 15-hour shift, which deals with various social and personal struggles such as mass shootings, drug overdoses, and physical attacks. To ensure the actors remain deeply invested in this intense setting, mobile phones were kept out of reach.

On the TV show he stars in, Noah Wyle, who plays Dr. Michael Robinavitch, shared with the Television Academy that they strictly prohibited phones during filming. As he explained, “Everyone is required to follow our ‘No mobile phones on set’ rule. Instead, we have a communal library where people can borrow books. They went through quite a few of them.” It seems the library was well-received, as Wyle mentioned that one person ensured there was always a book handy: “A background artist playing a pregnant woman would often keep a book in her prop belly during filming, and then she’d suddenly produce a large ‘Harry Potter’ book!

The notion of a library is impressive, especially when people lack access to their phones. Reading instead of endlessly scrolling through social media might be more beneficial mentally. However, it appeared that Wyle was hesitant to accept recognition for this idea, despite strong indications that it originated from him. When Variety questioned whether he had conceived it, Wyle replied defensively, “I’m not willing to claim credit for anything. I don’t want my name on it, alright? It wasn’t me, I assure you.

No phones on sets is an increasingly common practice

In the TV series “The Pitt”, the characters rely heavily on each other during the first season, creating a strong sense of camaraderie reminiscent of a family. This close bond might have been essential for maintaining such an environment. Unlike today where people are often engrossed in their phones and social media trends like TikTok, here, characters seem to use books instead, allowing them to stay more engaged with the present moment. However, it’s not only “The Pitt” that encourages mindfulness; other settings also emphasize keeping attention on the task at hand.

Christopher Nolan is known for maintaining strict rules on his film sets, prohibiting texting and smoking. Quentin Tarantino also forbids phones, primarily because they might ring and disrupt scenes. Even when everyone ensures their phones are silent, it seems prudent to reduce dependency on them during production. Checking one’s phone is a guaranteed way to disengage from the surrounding environment. At the very least, it’s a lost chance to build relationships with your co-actors and crew, connections that can lead to a more impressive final product.

In the 90’s, when Noah Wyle was starring in “ER”, people didn’t have mobile devices to pass the time during breaks, so perhaps Wyle wanted to bring that same spirit of creativity to “The Pitt”. Now that the show has completed its first season and is gearing up for season 2, Wyle has hinted at an ambitious plan to keep “The Pitt” running for many seasons ahead. As a result, the lending library might see more action in the future.

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2025-04-14 23:00