Taylor Dearden Talks The Pitt, Dr. Mel King's Journey & Behind-the-Scenes Insights

[00:00:09] Taylor, thank you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged. Thanks for having me. Congratulations. It's an amazing show, The Pitt. Everybody that I've talked to loves this series so far. It's, yeah, it's crazy to, I think the biggest thing for me was it was so odd shooting while it was coming out. Now we're done now so it can settle a little bit in my brain but yeah.

[00:00:33] When I mentioned earlier, I spoke to a few other guests. They were filming while we were talking throughout it. It's like it was like they didn't even know what was going to happen. They were getting the script by script they were telling me. Yeah, we're not fully aware of what we do, which is, it can be exciting, but I think we'd all, all actors would prefer to have all the scripts right away, please.

[00:00:56] Right, right. You've had, you've had such a, you know, I was doing research on you, you've had some diverse acting career, you know, you got from the Sweet Vicious to American Vandal and now The Pitt. What drew you to this role? And how does it compare with like the past projects you've done? Well, I think in general, it's good to know that every actor just wants a job. I'm just lucky the job that I wanted, which everyone, you know, every job I audition for I want. But I'm just lucky that the job that wanted me was this.

[00:01:26] Yeah, I've never, I've never played a character like Mel, ever. And usually I am cast as Santos would be the sarcastic kind of punky person is usually what I'm cast as. So it was really fun to play something completely different for me. And, and yeah, and medical daunting, very daunting.

[00:01:52] Well, what was your audition process like for The Pitt? Did you know right away, this is the character you're going for? Like what happened exactly? They kind of just like, they send out the notice and your reps set you up for an audition. And so I auditioned a while ago with a, actually it was like a slew of auditions together for different things.

[00:02:17] And then it was strange because I heard, I heard back, they wanted, I was going to have a callback, but like way after. So the point they're like, Oh, you got a callback. And I went for what? They're like, you know, the medical thing. And I was like, Oh yeah, that one. Cause all I was thinking is like, I look, I, I'm fully aware. I look like a child. I don't think I could play a doctor. Um, but, uh, then it was, uh, the callback was a producer session.

[00:02:47] That was huge time in between of not thinking of the character and then getting back into it and then going to John Wells productions. And that was with Scott, John, and Noah, you know, the big guys, the big guys. And then after that, it was just more waiting. And then I heard they were testing. And usually, um, testing means you go in and audition again in a room full of people.

[00:03:15] But I guess this test was just using our audition tape and the producer's tape, which was trippy. Cause always testing is in person except for, I don't know, everything's funky post COVID post strike. And, um, yeah. And then I heard, I got it. Wow. What was the description you were given for a Dr. Mill? Cause I know, you know, she's socially awkward throughout the first few episodes. You see her. It's like, what was the description you were given?

[00:03:43] The description I was given was peppy and I'm peppy. And so I was kind of like, Oh, I don't even know how to play peppy. I can play anxiety. I think we all good.

[00:03:55] Yeah. Cause I really can't do like a cheerleader peppiness, uh, does not come naturally. And if, if I fake it, it looks pretty fake. Um, and so I just kind of went in with that instead of just, well, I am also nerd divergent. So I just kind of played a less masked version of my anxiety. So you found it easy.

[00:04:21] I guess it worked. I mean, it created so much anxiety to stay anxious, but, um, but yeah. That's awesome. What, um, what was like, you know, like medical dramas, you know, there's a unique kind of like intensity, you know, uh, when you were reading the scripts, you know, episode by episode, what was going through your mind?

[00:04:39] How the hell am I going to do this? I mean, it's, it's Greek and Latin words. It's procedures that I have no business even pretending to play that I know how to do. And it's fast, really, really fast. And you know, it's fast because our scripts were 70 to like 90 pages and it's for an hour. And then they cut it down to 45 minutes, but our scripts are, uh, an hour and a half movie length.

[00:05:09] Yeah. And then you just realized that it has to be that fast. And it's just like, Oh my God. It's, it was, it's, it's easily the hardest job I've ever had and, and most daunting. So I was kind of right in being anxious about it to start with. Yeah. Is this like one of those jobs? Like you're excited now that you're in it and you're hoping for more seasons. Oh, for sure. It was one of those, it was funny wrapping this. Cause I was like, I, I need to not be doing this so much.

[00:05:39] I just need to stop doing this. But also if we didn't get another season, I'd be horribly distraught. And it's this weird, like, I'm so exhausted and yet more please. It's worth it though. Yeah. It's the kind of exhaustion where it's like, Oh man, if I, if I didn't have that, that would, that would be awful. And I wrote down here in the first episode, you know, we see a male shadows, Dr. Frank Langdon.

[00:06:05] Like he's a senior resident. Um, describe that chemistry, that mentorship between him and your character. I think, uh, Langdon obviously with his, um, I was gonna say machismo, but it's more, um, bravado. Uh, he clearly has always wanted to be a mentor to someone and no one's taking the bait ever.

[00:06:28] And I think he finds in Mel, like the most willing participant to be mentored and, you know, Mel, Mel follows the rules, but also will religiously follow her mentor anywhere. And so I think he finally sees what he thinks he's always wanted of like someone to not boss around. Cause I don't think he's right, but someone to, to learn from him.

[00:06:55] But I think in that process is when he starts to open up and see that it still goes both ways. Do you think Mel looks up to him more or Dr. Robbie? Cause it kind of feels like she enjoys working with both. I think Dr. Robbie might be a little much for Mel just cause he's the attending and it's like, I don't, you, you have so much to do. That's a lot. And I think having someone who is more case to case as a mentor, as opposed to overseeing the entire emergency department.

[00:07:23] Um, cause definitely in the first episode, it's very clear Mel wants to follow Dr. Robbie. Uh, John whispered in my ear, the note, um, doing the first episode, he goes, um, be his shadow at all times, which I love, but no other actor knew. So I actually found myself annoying a lot of my other actors. Cause I'd like cut in front of them just to be next to him and no one else knew the note except for me. And so it's just really funny. I was just like, sorry guys, I'm really annoying, but supposed to.

[00:07:52] Hmm. Episode 10, I had to bring this up. The fans went crazy with the whole Langdon and, um, the substance abuse. Yeah. That was a, that was a big plot twist. Uh, how do you think Mel's perception of that mentorship and trust now with the medical? Um, well, I really appreciate what the writers do because like a real workplace, no one else. Hmm. And no one finds out it's just the people involved that know. Yeah.

[00:08:19] So, cause you know, any kind of someone getting fired and stuff that you comes out throughout the week. Eventually find out within an hour. If no one saw it happen. So, uh, so no, no one knows. We just, he's just like not really here and definitely feels the loss and will consistently ask where he is. Um, yeah.

[00:08:46] But what was your reaction when you read the script of what was going to happen in episode 10? Did you like, What's funny is it's very clear in the script that he has a problem for throughout. Yeah. Yeah. And it's just interesting to see how audiences, it took them a lot longer. Hmm. Partially cause they, I'm sure they cut stuff down, but the other, the other thing I remember reading is, you know, people are really, can be really harsh with Santa's character.

[00:09:15] And I also reading that no one picked up on, um, what her life was, even though she had that whole monologue, um, to the guy about abuse. And I, you know, reading the script, we all went, Oh, okay. But it seems like at least online people still don't really get what happened there, which is interesting. It's just really cool that, that they, they made it so subtle that you can miss it, which again, just fuels the realism to me.

[00:09:45] What do you think has been for you? You mentioned, uh, like, you know, Greek and Latin and everything, but like for you, like what's been like your biggest challenge with this character? Um, with playing the character or the character itself? Both. Playing the character is, um, my own neurodivergence has been tough. Um, often during rehearsals, which is not, not normal. Most, I've never been on a set where this happens, but they'll be talking while you're rehearsing.

[00:10:14] And my brain just does not work that way. And so I'll have to, I'll have earplugs I put in and I just need the script in front of me because my, it's just too much other stuff going on. Um, that has been a big challenge for me. And then as Mel is, is a lot of us have had the issue of how much should I know at this point? What's new to me medically?

[00:10:41] What, what is common at this point for my, my level? Um, and sometimes it can seem inconsistent. And so you'll have to like quickly justify to make sense of the next bit. Um, which is hard. I mean, like originally in the script, I, I'm having an anxiety attack about, um, Mr. Milton. But in reality, I, I only met him dead. I never interacted with him.

[00:11:09] And as an R2, I've seen hundreds of dead people now. And so something like that was like, okay, I got to change it for, for it to make sense to me. It can still look like that, but just like trying to rearrange it where it's like, I think for me, what I was trying to do instead was I'm having an anxiety attack knowing it's Dr. Whitaker's first death. Um, but stuff like that, where you're also, we're also moving so fast that we can't stop.

[00:11:37] And wait a minute, would my character, you just have to go, I got to think of it really quick before I can do it. Yeah. Is there anything you would change about Mel if you could? Um, I think I'd like a little bit more consistency in at least maybe not consistency is the right word, but like a real good map of what I can do medically, what is new for me. And just kind of that, because sometimes I don't know how to, I think that's the case for all of us.

[00:12:05] We don't really know, like, would this be new for me or have I done this a hundred times? And if I, if I mess it up, is it weird? Cause I've done it a hundred times and all of the, all the questions that I think people don't know actors need the answers to. Would Taylor be friends with Dr. Mel? Yeah, for sure. I'm, I'd be friends. I wouldn't know. I mean, I, I have, I'm funny and, and sarcastic.

[00:12:35] So I don't know how that would go over. It would just be a lot of, uh, well, like Santos jokes with Mel. Right. Would you want to see like the show explore more about Mel's background and everything, especially, you know, she's working with military veterans. You know, we're going to get more of a story for this character. Yeah. I mean, that's, that's, it's not uncommon to not be in the military and work. Yeah. Yeah. And it was just like a placeholder in Pittsburgh because I, uh, Mel didn't come from Pittsburgh.

[00:13:03] So, so Mel's sister is in that great facility. So Mel had to find really quick employment. Obviously the trauma center is what every emergency room doctor wants. And so I think it was just like, okay, sure. The VA needs me for now.

[00:13:19] And then hope, hoping something opens up at a PTMC, um, that, and also like, uh, stuff that I know that I was told, um, by, I remember John and Scott had to sit down with all of us to go through where you're from your whole backstory.

[00:13:37] And it's not too, and this is like, this is actor, this is actor drugs for sure of like getting to, to have all that layered into a performance and not necessarily ever show it. Cause there's secrets. We all have these things that no one else knows and doesn't come up, but it informs how we play it. And that has been such a yummy, a very actor, yummy thing. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:14:07] Working alongside like, you know, season actors like Noah Wiley, any, uh, advice from him for being, you know, on the field so many years, especially with medical dramas. Medical drama for sure. I mean, like I've, it's funny, there's so many new people on this set of like, who've just started working and I'm, I'm definitely more in the middle range. I've, I've actually been, this is weird. This is my 10th year as a professional actor, which has flipped me out.

[00:14:37] Cause I don't see how the time went by that fast. But I mean, there's a lot that I'll see. That's like, okay, that's, that's this set only. It's not a normal thing or, or anything. And it's not necessarily bad or good. It's just like, Oh, this is different. This is different. And I think with all the medical stuff and also knowing that he's a writer, so he knows everything.

[00:14:58] Everything is really easy to go, uh, you know, we're all sitting where the actors sit and just to be like, I have a question proposal and he'll give you, you know, you'll say, I was thinking of kind of building confidence at this point to like then this. And he'll go, yes. Cause something happens later that that will make sense. And he'll give you enough hints that you can kind of get there. Cause usually it's hard to get writers to tell you anything.

[00:15:25] Um, but he's been a big help in that you can kind of pitch character ideas and because he knows all the scripts, he can, he can kind of shape us a little bit. Speaking of characters, uh, in the future, we get more Dr. Mill. Is there somebody that you want to work with or have more scenes with that you didn't get a chance to in the first season? Um, I do. Every time I think Dana and Mel meet, there's something really sweet and special there.

[00:15:54] And, and of course, Robbie and I don't know, it's kind of everyone. I think I'd like to see, we haven't yet seen, and we won't see how Mel and, um, Javadi interact. Cause they're both the same buzzy personality. And we know how Mel is with Whitaker, the same sweet, awkward, but, um, yeah, we never get to see Javadi Mel, which I think would be a lovable shit show.

[00:16:23] So we have 10 episodes. Is it 15 total this season? Yeah. What can you tease us for the rest of the next five? Uh, honestly, this one, if you are pregnant, if you're expecting or just give birth, don't watch it. Skip it. It doesn't, it doesn't have enough of a lead to tell you what happens next. So you can skip it. Um, but I've had to tell my family members, like, just don't wait till, wait till your, your kid is born and everything's okay.

[00:16:53] Then you can watch it. Um, but it is, you know, as, as the doctors told us that everything in the emergency department is, is probably every human being's worst day of their lives. Right. And so we're never seeing the great stuff. Yeah. Um, but then from then on, it just gets really intense and crazy.

[00:17:16] And the pressure brings out something in every character that you might not have seen before. It gets, well, 12 hour shift and we have three extra hours. So something might happen that causes you to go along. There you go. What's now, I know you said you feel you finished filming the last five, uh, you taking a little break. Any other projects you're going to go work on that you could tell us about, or you just take a vacation. The project is fixing my house.

[00:17:46] Um, yeah, yeah. Got to get a new roof. That's fun. Um, but other than that, it's just been trying to, to breathe and calm down and, and see what's next. There's not this, we need to reinvigorate the industry. There's not much going on and it's just, it's awful. We're so lucky to be on something because there's definitely dead out there. Taylor, let's send this by a, how can the listeners, the viewers now find you on social media to keep up with you? I saw you were posting some pictures of the show.

[00:18:16] Oh yeah. I'm not very, um, just, I need to get way better at social media. I'm not very good at it. So, so much so that I have to remember what my name is on it. Okay. Yeah. Um, if you want to follow me on Instagram, it's T Deard's it's T D E A R D Z. So. Amazing. Taylor, I want to thank you for giving me a few minutes. Uh, let's get you back on. Hopefully we continue on with the Dr. Mill story. Great. All right. Thank you. Thank you.