The Pitt Star Katherine LaNasa Tapped Abbott Elementary for Tough Pittsburgh Accent

Actress Katherine LaNasa didn't just pull her tough Pittsburgh accent out of thin air for HBO Max's medical drama, The Pitt. For her Emmy-winning turn as unflappable charge nurse Dana Evans, LaNasa channeled two other beloved TV shows: ABC's Abbott Elementary and HBO's Mare of Easttown. This offers a fascinating peek into an actor's meticulous craft.

LaNasa revealed in a Variety interview she drew inspiration from Lisa Ann Walter's Melissa Schemmenti (Abbott Elementary) and Julianne Nicholson's Lori Ross (Mare of Easttown). She noted the shows even share a hallway at the Warner Bros. lot. Though not exact matches, listening helped her grasp "a sense of it." LaNasa called the accent "muscularly different" and hard to learn, even with dialect coach Susanne Sulby. It's a true testament to the dedication actors bring to embodying roles, down to every syllable.