Patrick Ball is having himself a year. The actor made his Broadway debut this winter in the Tony-nominated play Becky Shaw. This morning, he scored his first career Emmy nomination for Best Drama Supporting Actor for playing recovering addict Dr. Frank Langdon on The Pitt, a role that hits close to home for Ball.
Gold Derby jumped on the phone with Ball to chat about his huge milestones, who from The Pitt cast was the first to congratulate him, and who are the fellow Emmy-worthy performers that are inspiring him.
Gold Derby: Congratulations, first-time Emmy nominee. Can you speak to this moment in your career? It’s major.
Patrick Ball: It’s super major. It’s super chaotic and I have not had a single moment to process any of it. So it’s all just fricking crazy. And I’m at work right now, and so we just got to step off set. Scott [Gemmill, showrunner, creator and executive producer] came in and made the announcement of the 25 nominations and got to read everybody out, and we all got to celebrate together and then it’s right back to work. So it’s absolutely crazy right now.
Who was the first person you got a big congratulatory hug from on the cast?
I got to run into Taylor [Dearden] and Gerran [Howell] as I was sort of coming out of the soundstage. I ran into Taylor and Gerran and Shawn Hatosy… No, the first person I saw was Fiona [Dourif] because me and Fiona were shooting our scene together and I am so fricking stoked for her. I love Fiona Dourif and I think that she does such beautiful work on this show and I think she’s such a huge part of setting the tone of what this show is. I am so, so glad she got her name called and she got that work acknowledged because I think she’s amazing.
Is there anyone that you’ve become a big fan of this year on TV that you’re hoping to finally get to meet at the Emmys?
So many people. I have randomly become kind of friends with Paul Anthony Kelly [from Love Story] because we got to interview each other in a piece and he’s just a really genuinely good guy. We went out to breakfast together, and he came and saw my play, and I’ve seen him around a couple times, and I just think he’s a super good guy. So it’s always awesome seeing him. I also just finished watching Beef. I think everybody on that show is freaking incredible, so I would love to meet just the entire cast of Beef. I’m wondering if maybe we can do a collab party bus situation where they could join us on our party bus and we could split the bill, because I definitely want to party with Charles Melton. That guy seems like he has a lot of fun.
I love that you’re bringing back last year’s party bus lore.
We will figure out what it is, but don’t worry. We’re on it.
Let’s say that the night goes incredibly well for all of you and perhaps your name is called out. Who is the first person you’re thanking in your acceptance speech?
Well, I guess the first person I would thank is [executive producer] John Wells for absolutely changing my life. There’s a whole bunch of people that I need to thank, but I think John and Scott and Noah [Wyle] are definitely the first people. I mean, I was an absolute nobody. I was completely unhireable. I was a 35-year-old regional theater actor with literally no credits and they wrote me the biggest bucket list role anybody could ever have, and they trusted me with it and they’ve continued to trust me with it and they’ve continued to support me in big ways and in small ways, and I just owe them my entire life, so they would definitely have to be the first. And then my mom and my dad.
What is one scene from the season you’re going to always remember filming that maybe feels linked to this nomination and this moment for you?
I think there were a lot. I think I loved the scene over Louis when we all gathered around Louis after he passed and we were having a moment of silence in the viewing room, just acknowledging the angel that had left us. That was a really special moment on set. I think I really love the scene with Mel at the end when I stand out there and she’s sort of looking at the fireworks. I really think that the final difficult conversation between me and Robby was one that I was waiting for for a long, long, long time. And I think every time that I get to act with Noah, it’s always alive. It’s always happening, and so that was an incredible moment. He’s such an amazing scene partner and I think the two of us spar really well, so I hope we get to do a lot more of that this year.
Lastly, is there a performance this year that you think everyone should watch?
Maybe it’s just top of mind, but I just think Charles Melton in Beef is so funny. He’s just got that sort of, like, he’s got the nice guy himbo sort of thing. He’s got it figured out. He’s so funny, but so truthful and he’s playing the stakes of the scene every time, but it is just so hilarious. I think it’s amazing. I love it.
And now you’re both first-time Emmy nominees, so you can bond over that when you meet at the Emmys.
He got nominated? That’s so great. He definitely deserves it.
