Isa Briones On Filipino Visibility & Her Role In The Pitt: “It Brought Me To Tears”

Isa Briones is best known for her standout performances in the medical drama The Pitt and as a series regular in Star Trek: Picard. Yet, what defines her just as much as her screen presence is her fierce advocacy for the Asian community, a commitment that manifests not only in the nuanced characters she chooses to play, but in her vocal stance against the rise of hate crimes against Asian Americans.

In the critically acclaimed HBO series The Pitt, Isa Briones plays Dr. Trinity Santos, a character with a name that, much like Briones’ own, carries the weight and pride of a heritage often left in the periphery of mainstream television. For Briones, the role isn't just another credit; it’s a long-overdue correction to the medical drama genre.

"I find it so strange that up until now there has not really been a lot of Filipino representation in medical shows," Briones tells Refinery29. It’s a gap in the narrative that feels particularly glaring when you look at the reality of the healthcare system. "It's insane because Filipinos make up one of the biggest populations of medical professionals in this country."

For Briones, the importance of this visibility hit home during the very first moments of the series. "It was really exciting once I learned that there were two Filipino nurses," she reflects. "In the first five minutes of episode one, they’re speaking Tagalog. It brought me to tears the first time I saw it."

That emotional connection to the script wasn't accidental, it started through Briones’ own advocacy. When she was first cast, the production knew they wanted an Asian doctor, but the specifics of her heritage were still unknown. When she saw the initial name assigned to her character, she knew it didn't fit.

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