Emmy Hopeful Cathryn Dylan Ortiz on Falling in The Pitt

There were so many timely and heartbreaking storylines of season two of HBO Max’s The Pitt that choosing a standout is nearly impossible, but the tragic story of Brenda Azurmendi, brilliantly portrayed by Emmy hopeful Cathryn Dylan Ortiz, who has submitted in the category of “Outstanding Performance by a Guest Actress in a Drama,” became one of the most emotionally devastating arcs of the season. This exploration into the ripple effects of trauma on a parent watching their child fight for survival was devastating and unforgettable, and for Ortiz, portraying Brenda was more than a guest role — it was an opportunity to bring attention to mental health struggles that are often overlooked.

“It’s been a blessing and truly an honor,” Ortiz says. The actress, who has also appeared on Ray Donovan, Chicago Justice and Marshals, among other credits, saw in Brenda an opportunity to tell a story that could have a meaningful, real-life impact. “Mental health to me is so important. It’s so important to talk about and to be a part of what I thought to be one of the best shows out there,” Ortiz says. “To be a part of it in this way, telling a story that far too many people are living, [was] the privilege of a lifetime.” Brenda’s story begins when she rushes her five-year-old son, Micah, to Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center after finding him unresponsive in the family car. Believing he suffered heat stroke after becoming trapped inside the vehicle, Brenda becomes consumed by guilt as doctors struggle to save little Micah. As Micah’s prognosis remains uncertain, Brenda’s emotional state deteriorates, culminating in a suicide attempt and psychiatric hold. Throughout the remaining episodes of the season, her anguished question — “Did I kill my son?” — reverberates through the emergency department.

Ortiz says she immediately connected with Brenda when she first read the audition material. “Right away, I understood this caregiver. I understood this mother,” Ortiz recalls. “When something like this happens, when your child or a partner or a family member is in a medical crisis, you’re thinking of one thing, and it’s to save their life. Please save their life. How can I save their life? That’s it.” What resonated most with Ortiz was the way the storyline acknowledged that trauma extends beyond the patient. “Trauma is not something that is only happening to a patient in a hospital bed,” Ortiz says. “Trauma is so collective. We all, I feel, are deeply, deeply connected.”

That perspective has struck a chord with viewers and healthcare workers alike. Since the episodes aired, Ortiz says she has spoken with emergency room physicians who were deeply affected by the storyline because it focused on a reality they witness every day but rarely see depicted onscreen. “These emergency room doctors were telling me that they have to pay such close attention, because in the end, you’re watching a family’s life change in a split second,” Ortiz says. “So often they see car accidents or drownings or things that happen that aren’t a disease that takes time — it happens in a second, and everyone has to process it immediately.”

Ortiz credits the show’s creative team for approaching the subject matter with restraint rather than sensationalism. “I so commend The Pitt, Warner Bros, John Wells Productions and HBO Max. To take a risk on something like this, with mental health being so stigmatized, with something that is so often not spoken about, but also really not spoken about in this way,” Ortiz says. “This was not dramatized. Mental health, a lot of times, when portrayed, is loud. There’s a lot of hysteria. Very, very often it is quiet.

The actress believes that authenticity is what has made Brenda’s journey resonate so strongly. Through conversations with therapists, healthcare professionals and viewers, she has seen firsthand how the storyline opened doors for discussions that many people had previously struggled to have. “When you have it on television, you have an excuse to talk about it, to say, ‘You know, me too,'” Ortiz says. “That, to me, is the most special part, that it’s gently opening this door to have all these conversations.” The response has been deeply touching for the actress. Ortiz says viewers have approached her in public, written letters and shared stories of seeing themselves — or loved ones — in Brenda. “I’ve had people say that they just felt seen,” Ortiz says. Ortiz credits writer Valerie Chu and director Uta Briesewitz, along with the rest of the show’s creative team, for what she calls a group effort.

While some fans have begun discussing awards recognition for the performance, Ortiz says that possibility never entered her mind while filming. “At no point did I ever feel that,” Ortiz says, revealing that she actively chose to avoid publicity when she was cast in the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama. “I got a dream job of a guest star with a possibility of recurring, and I was over the moon. I thought, let’s not do that — let me just do my job,” Ortiz says.

Ultimately, Ortiz says the greatest reward has been hearing from people who found comfort, understanding or validation through Brenda’s story. “It was an insane cherry on top when people saw themselves in Brenda,” Ortiz says. “That was everything.”

Read more interviews revolved around the televison series, The Pitt:
Gavin Brivik and Andrew Bird Both Needed Someone
Charles Baker on Finding a Home on The Pitt

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