NEED TO KNOW
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Ned Brower reflects on his character Jesse's arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in TV series "Pitt".
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«"I was a little worried that the whole thing wouldn't end up being used in the edit," he told PEOPLE of the storyline.
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The arrest, made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), occurred in the 11th episode of the second season of the HBO Max series.
Ned Brower talks about his character's arrest by immigration authorities in the show's final season. «Pitt» .
In Season 2, Episode 11, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrive in the emergency room, transporting a detainee named Pranita (played by Ramona DuBarry) for medical attention. The agents' presence alarms patients and staff. Many leave, but Brower's character, nurse Jessie, is taken into custody for attempting to protect a patient when ICE tactics become dangerous.
In an interview with PEOPLE, 47-year-old Brauer said that although the scene was filmed before the deaths of Alex Pretty and Renee Nicole Goode—both shot in January in Minneapolis—he felt it was a significant story for healthcare workers. However, he admitted he was "a little nervous because it was such a sensitive topic.".
Ned Brower, Patrick Ball, Noah Wyle, and Tracy Ifeachor on the set of "Pitt." Photo: Warwick Page/MAX
«"I was a little worried that all of this would have to be cut in editing," he says. "It ended up being something in between, but I'm really glad it made it into the final cut. It definitely had the effect we intended.".
However, Brauer noted that "some of the violent scenes were cut down" compared to the actual footage. "They made the scene quite short, but it still has a strong impact on the story," he says. "So I was very pleased with the result and glad to have been a part of it.".
The scene was emotional not only for Brauer but also for the actress playing the detained patient. Brauer says she "took it to a very emotional place because her character knew in those scenes that she was in trouble, whereas my character didn't see it coming.".
He says the physical demands of the scene were "really intense" because he agreed to do the holds himself. "I mean, I was essentially fighting a guy who was, like, 6'3" and 300 pounds, and I'm 6'3," he says of actor JuJu Alexander, who played the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
The Bloodwerk musician wanted the stage to be as "dense and brutal" as possible. "Imagine being thrown to the ground twenty times in a row by a very large guy and bound with zip ties. It was amazing, but I couldn't walk for three days," he says.
Brower adds that the reaction to his character—and this storyline in particular—has been "great.".
«"From the moment Noah [Wyle] gave me the script, he was like, 'You're going to be a hero, man.' He was just trying to cheer me up, to lift my spirits, but he was also like, 'You're going to be a hero. Free Nurse Jessie. It's going to be all over the internet.' He predicted it," says a former musician who worked with Rooney.
Since then, he's seen his photo taken at the police station circulate online, along with the hashtag "#freejesse." But he also realized the deeper implications of the incident.
Gerran Howell, Taylor Dearden, Ned Brower, Brandon Mendes, and Homer in "Pitt." Photo: Warwick Page/MAX
«"I was really shocked by the number of people who shared stories from their hospitals where similar [ICE interventions] occurred," he says. "It made me even more appreciative of the opportunity to tell this story.".
Brower said he's been assured that Jesse "isn't being sent to El Salvador," but he's still waiting to find out what's in store for his character next season.
Brauer's new electropop project, Bloodwerk, featuring himself and film and television composer John E. Lowe, released a music video for the song "The Other Side" on Tuesday, June 2. The video was directed by horror filmmaker Leigh Whannell.
The second season of the series «Pitt» is now available to watch on HBO Max.
Read the original article on People.