Shawn Hatosy Wins Emmy for The Pitt, Earns Supporting Actor Nod for Season 2, and Steps Behind the Camera for Season 3
Shawn Hatosy has won the Emmy for best guest actor in a drama series for his work on the first season of HBO Max's The Pitt — and he is already nominated for the same show's second season in the supporting actor category, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter on 18 August 2026. The supporting actor nomination is his second-ever Emmy nod, following his guest actor win, according to Deadline.
Hatosy has played Dr. Jack Abbot on The Pitt since the series launched in 2025. Abbot is a former combat medic turned attending physician who works the night shift at a Pittsburgh hospital. The role is the latest in a long television career — and the latest collaboration with producer John Wells, a partnership that now spans 20 years and five projects, from ER through The Pitt (The Hollywood Reporter).
That Wells relationship has survived plenty of turbulence. NBC cancelled Wells' Southland — where Hatosy played an L.A. cop — after one season had aired and a second had already been largely shot. The series ran from 2009 through 2013 and earned Hatosy a Critics Choice Award nomination. He later played a twisted ex-con on Animal Kingdom (2016–2022), also produced by John Wells Productions with Warner Horizon Scripted Television (The Hollywood Reporter).
Even before Southland, Hatosy auditioned for the role in Breaking Bad that eventually went to Aaron Paul — a part that would reshape television drama. He did not get it. The path that led to The Pitt was longer and less obvious, but it arrived at an Emmy podium.
Hatosy is also moving behind the camera. He directed an episode of The Pitt's second season, and in a post-Emmy interview with Deadline he confirmed he will direct an episode of the show's third season as well (The Hollywood Reporter). He also told fans on Instagram that he will not appear on-screen in episode 4 of season 3, though he will direct an episode of that season (Instagram). Production on season 3 was nearly underway in mid-June, with filming set to start the following week, Hatosy told Us Weekly.
For fans of The Pitt, that means a familiar face on the call sheet is becoming a familiar name in the credits — both in front of and behind the lens.
