Since the start of Season 2, rumors have circulated about the cast of "The Pitt," inspiring fanfiction and sometimes plunging the fandom into toxicity. Sepideh Moafi, who plays Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, has officially shut down speculation of an on-set feud with her co-star Noah Wyle.
"Absolutely not," Moafi told Variety. "I do not have that power. We're really great colleagues. Noah and I have always had a great working relationship, which is why it actually felt safe to do the darker, dirtier work in episode 15, particularly because, between setups, we were shooting the sh*t and laughing."
"So that's completely false that there's a personal sort of beef or rivalry between us, at least not that I'm aware of," she continued. "You can check with Noah, but I don't know about this."
With Season 2 ending on a cliffhanger, Moafi also shared that Dr. Al-Hashimi will return for "The Pitt" Season 3. "At the moment, I am. I'm not sure to what capacity," Moafi laughed. "I'm positive, I think? Nothing is clear to me as to what's happening with the story, how many episodes, all that, but I am coming back."
In response to Moafi dispelling the feud rumors, fans on Twitter expressed frustration with the toxic fandom. One user said: "The Pitt fanbase is filled with some of the daftest fans, they can't make a distinction between the characters in the show and the actors." Another added: "There is a study to be conducted on how such a great smart adult show like the Pitt, somehow attracted the dumbest most toxic weird fandom." A third commented: "Horrible that she had to clear that up because there's a really loud section of the fandom just saying bs because they're miserable." Others noted: "I wasn't aware of those rumors but considering how rotten some part of the fan base has become, people need to get out of this app and touch grass." Another fan remarked: "Online fandoms always take things too far. Actors shouldn't have to debunk fake rivalry theories every few months."
Although Moafi and Wyle have no issues with each other, the actor shared that she was willing to fight for one thing: the integrity of Dr. Al-Hashimi's storyline as it relates to people navigating disabilities in the workplace. "People with disabilities, people with health conditions, are not disposable, and let's just be clear about that," Moafi said. "They are not f*cking disposable, and the idea of you did this, and so now you're gone is outrageous and cruel."
"The Pitt" Season 3 will start filming in June.
