A big throughline of The Pitt is the crushing weight of medical debt, and how it can affect whether you’re even willing to seek treatment. But this is America, and we’ve got all kinds of life-ruining debt! Speaking to Cultured, Patrick Ball shared that his Pitt paychecks helped him clear $80,000 of student debt. Ball teared up as he reflected on the weight off his shoulders. “I paid off my student loans like three months into The Pitt, and that was a really profound moment ‘cause I thought I was gonna die with it,” he said. “It’s a huge burden to carry, and a lot of people carry it.”
Ball said that his student loans affected him personally, causing not only stress but multiple breakups. “I had been through a series of failed relationships where my financial insecurity was a real problem,” he said. “I had just thought that was going to be my life forever, and that is a really heavy thing to live with. Paying off those student loans and getting back to zero, I remember being like, Man, if this show works, great. If it doesn’t work, they can’t take that away from me. I am out of debt. No take-backsies on that.” Lucky for him, the show was also a huge critical success. No take-backsies on that Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Actor Award, either.
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