HBO Max’s acclaimed drama “The Pitt” brought home two awards this weekend at the Actor Awards— Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for star Noah Wyle—and we’d like to think the show’s on-set library played a role.
Intense, fast-paced, smart, and often funny, “The Pitt” charts the goings-on in a Pittsburgh emergency room over the course of one day each season and has received accolades from the medical profession for its accuracy and attention to detail. Cell phones are prohibited on set, so a lending library was established for cast and crew to check out books to read during downtime and after hours.
The library was set up last year during the show’s first season and is filled with books provided by cast and crew. There’s only one rule about contributing books: “Don’t bring crap,” said Wyle, who stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch. “Bring something you like or you think someone else will like.”
The party responsible for the library is shrouded in mystery. Actor Isa Briones, who plays Doctor Trinity Santos, told Variety last year that it was Wyle’s doing. However, when questioned about the library by the magazine, Wyle played coy and refused to reveal who started it. He did say it must have been an “incredibly noble and generous person.”
Wyle is undeniably proud of the lending library, its origins notwithstanding.
“The variety of books was astonishing,” he said. “There was everything from the classics to modern releases. One woman kept the entire anthology of Harry Potter inside of her pregnancy belly.”
Wyle had several thoughts on the best books to donate to the library.
“I remember thinking if I was going to bring books in, I was concerned about anything that could introduce conflict or acrimony into a harmonious set,” he said. “So I went with books that I thought would be enjoyed by the most amount of people… If I did it, but because that would be foolish for me to do, I didn’t do it.”
As for his response, the actor admitted that he doesn’t “like taking credit for anything.”
“You’re not getting me on the record. It wasn’t me, officer,” he joked.
The lending library has had positive effects on those working on “The Pitt,” according to Wyle.
“I’m willing to wager that we’ve got one of the better-read casts and crew in Hollywood today,” he said.
You can learn more about the lending library at “The Pitt” below.
@hbomax One of the best read cast and crew in Hollywood. #ThePitt #NoahWyle #BookTok ♬ original sound – HBO Max
How you can support libraries
With library funding being gutted and censorship on the rise, supporting libraries is more critical than ever. If you’re looking for a way to help, we urge you to become a Supporter of the American Library Association by donating.
At the American Library Association, we are here to protect libraries — today and for generations to come. What does your donation do? It helps a neighbor gain skills to start a business. It helps a child discover themselves through books and programs. And it helps keep libraries strong, open, and free for everyone.
Become a Supporter
Subscribe to the I Love Libraries newsletter! You’ll get news from the library world, advocacy updates, author interviews, book lists, and more delivered to your inbox every month.
