For the second year in a row, The Pitt is undoubtedly one of the best TV shows on HBO Max. Its realistic portrayal of an emergency room has set a new standard for medical dramas, and Noah Wyle and his ED crew have already been renewed for Season 3. With the Season 2 finale set to premiere next week on the 2026 TV schedule, it seems highly likely that The Pitt will once again receive many nominations from the Television Academy, and there is one fan-favorite Pitt actor who could make Emmy history.
The Pitt had a great run at the 2025 Emmys, with 13 nominations and five wins. After a 26-year nomination drought, Noah Wyle finally took home the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for his role as Dr. Robby. Katherine LaNasa also won for her performance as charge nurse Dana Evans, and the show as a whole took home Outstanding Drama Series.
Additionally, Shawn Hatosy received his first Emmy win for Guest Actor in a Drama Series as Dr. Jack Abbot, specifically nominated for his performance in The Pitt’s Season 1 finale “9:00 PM”, in which Abbot finds Robby on the hospital roof in a moment of emotional crisis. Now, as nomination voting for the 2026 Emmys approaches, Variety reports the Ready or Not 2 actor is in a unique position to make Television Academy history if he wins again in the same category.
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The outlet noted that repeat guest performer wins are extremely rare, and even rarer for the same show. Consecutive wins for guest roles have only happened a handful of times in the comedy category, including Jean Smart for Frasier, Mel Brooks for Mad About You, and Maya Rudolph for Saturday Night Live.
However, no one has ever won Guest Actor in a Drama for the same show in back-to-back years, setting Hatosy up for a historic win if he’s nominated.
It might seem odd that Hatosy is up for guest actor with Abbot’s seemingly increased visibility and impact this season. However, he only appears in six out of 15 episodes, including the upcoming finale that will be available with an HBO Max subscription on Thursday, May 16 at 9 p.m. ET. According to Emmy rules, to qualify for this award, an actor must appear in less than 50% of a given season’s episodes.
I would be absolutely shocked if the Southland actor is snubbed of a nomination this year. In my opinion, Abbot’s unique position to understand Robby’s frustrations and trials makes him a shoo-in for the win once again. Time will tell, though, as nominations won’t come out until July 8, and the Emmys don’t take place until September 14.
Now, as much as I love this recognition for Hatosy in his guest spot on The Pitt, I’m ready to see him take on a bigger role. Many fans are hoping for a Pitt spinoff featuring the night shift. Due to emergency events in both seasons, audiences have gotten a taste of the night crew and are dying to see more. Characters such as Abbot and nurse Mateo have hinted at The Pitt’s night shift being a whole different beast, potentially setting up a spinoff, and I’m ready to see Hatosy get an Outstanding Lead Actor nod for whenever HBO decides to make it a reality.
However, for now, I hope he makes history as a guest star.
