“The Pit” stars Isa Briones and Jeran Howell say they no longer hate what they see on set. “Is it weird to feel sick now?” asks Howell, who plays resident doctor Dennis Whitaker. “Is that a red flag? It’s gross, don’t get me wrong. Especially when you’re about to do a take, they rush in and try to put all kinds of liquids on it to make it look fresh!”
Briones, who plays fellow resident Dr. Trinity Santos, agrees: “It doesn’t feel so weird anymore. It’s all so cool. I’m so impressed with our team for making all of this happen. Katherine[Lanasa, who plays Nurse Dana Evans]still feels the most creepy because she’s not always there for all of those intense moments.”
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still some awkward moments.
“I remember going to make-up one day and seeing Tom, our amazing SFX guy, holding a clear box that was just a prosthetic erect penis,” Howell recalls. Briones added: “It was very interesting to see it in a box. It was like coming to a Michelin-starred restaurant and being served something in a transparent cloche.”
Briones and Howell stopped by the Variety Awards Circuit podcast to talk about Santos and Whittaker’s unlikely friendship, fan fan reaction (including a candle depicting Santos swaddling baby Whittaker), and what they most want to convey to their characters. They also share what they know about Season 3 (which isn’t much!) and take a 10-question quiz. Listen below!
Santos and Whitaker’s brotherly give-and-take on “The Pit” has become a fan-favorite part of the show. Santos and Whittaker are such an unlikely pairing, but they still need each other. “In fact, I don’t think they would be friends under any other circumstances,” Howell says. “I feel like they kind of came together a little bit because (Santos) found out about Whittaker’s living situation and invited him (to be his roommate). But I think they can see each other in a lot of ways and they can see each other’s defense mechanisms.”
Briones added: “I think they both needed each other when they met, obviously from a more material standpoint, like Whittaker didn’t have a home. But Santos is a very special kind of person, and she could have easily thought, ‘This sucks!’ and left him behind. But she invited this boy, who she had just met about 15 hours earlier, into her home. There was clearly a need for each other. I think at the end of the day, the person who puts up the most barriers is the one who has the most vulnerability. I think it’s cool that Whittaker is the one who gets to see a little bit of that. The more she tries to protect her barriers, the more he gets to see a different side of her.”
In season 2, it is revealed that Whittaker spends time with his widow (her husband was a patient who died in season 1) and works on her farm. Santos does not approve. Howell says: “I think there’s an empathetic perspective where he saw someone in need and maybe that person asked for help and responded. But I think there’s a bit of a selfish part of him that feels a little bit less homesick by being able to work on the farm and be helpful. But yeah, I mean, that’s not right. It’s not right!”
What will he ask Whittaker? “What is he missing at the moment and obviously what gaps are he trying to fill? I think he has a lot of defense mechanisms, not as much as Santos, but he puts up a lot of barriers. I don’t think he likes asking for help on his own, so I’m digging into that. I think it’s like, ‘What’s up, dude?’
What about Santos Briones? “She’s had a tough journey and we know she’s struggled with a lot of mental health issues. If I was talking to her as a friend, I’d say, ‘You chose life, you chose to live, you chose to live. Don’t put up all sorts of barriers and push people away. Don’t tell them it’s better to be a lone wolf. It’s not actually protecting you, it’s actually hurting you more than anything.”
What have they heard so far about Season 3? “Miss, nothing, we don’t know anything,” Briones says. “Not really. I know what I’m wearing. It’s only a few months away, and it’s winter. So I’m going to be wearing a coat. It’s the most layered costume I’ve ever had.”
The shoot was done in winter clothes in Los Angeles in the summer, so it got really hot. “I heard they upgraded the air conditioning,” Howell said. “That’s a delicious story!”
10 QUESTIONS TO ISA BRIONES AND GERRAN HOWELL:
1. Childhood nickname: Briones: “Isa Pizza”. Howell: “The Big G” (Briones: “Oh, that’s here to stay!”)
2. Things I loved as a kid and can’t believe I’m into now: Briones: “I still love everything. I immediately thought of Polly Pocket. And I was chewing on Polly Pocket clothes… Polly I don’t regret the pockets, but I think the Bratz dolls are great because you can take off the whole leg, which is so creepy to me.” Howell: “I went through a period of being like a puppet when I was a kid.”
3. Song you’d like to sing at karaoke or in the shower: Briones: “Wannabe by Spice Girls.” Howell: “Kiss the seal rose.”
4. Give us another title for your show: Briones: “The Piss.” Howell: “A very bad, bad day for Whittaker.”
5. What is your secret talent?: Briones: “Once you have a talent, it’s never a secret. I tell everyone!” Howell: “It’s like puppetry.”
6. Favorite ice cream flavor: Briones: “Van Leeuwen honeycomb. That’s another classic, cookies and cream.” Howell: “Rum raisin.”
7. One dish I can’t live without: Briones: “Fish sauce.” Howell: “Caffeine at the moment.”
8. What TV show in history do you wish you had been a part of? Howell: “Twin Peaks.” Briones: “New Girl” or “Parks and Recreation.”
9. Fictional character you most admire: Howell: The guy from “The Big Lebowski.” Briones: Leslie Knope.
10. Favorite piece of advice: Howell: “I think the best advice I’ve received in the industry is to embrace uncertainty. It’s basically like accepting the helplessness that you sometimes experience as an actor, but as long as you keep doing what you’re doing, something will always find you.” Briones: “Celebrate the little things, because if you keep waiting for the big thing you’re about to celebrate, you’re going to live in disappointment until then. So we actually celebrate like little moments like, “That audition went really well. That was really good.” Or, “I got a call back. How exciting is that?” My family was always like, “When someone calls, let’s make steak tonight.” It’s all those little things that keep the magic in life.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tunkay, Emily Longeretta and Michael Schneider, who also serves as a producer, is your one-stop destination for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode’s “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talents and creators, discussions and debates about the awards race and industry headlines. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts.
