A familiar face to some in Windsor-Essex found himself under the bright lights of Hollywood in the latest episode of medical drama The Pitt.
Under thick layers of fake skin and blood, Windsor’s Shane Devon Nelson guest starred as a patient on the widely popular TV show.
Focused on the lives of emergency department staff at a Pittsburgh, Penn. hospital, the Emmy Award-winning drama has captivated audiences through performances by actors like Noah Wyle, who plays Dr. Michael Robinavitch.
“It’s so surreal being able to say that I got to act alongside Noah Wyle, who is the Emmy Award winner for best actor, which still hasn’t fully set in yet,” said Nelson.
Caught in a firework-related accident, Nelson’s character is rolled into the ER with a gruesome head injury.
“There was a moment where Fiona Dourif [who plays Dr. Cassie McKay] was kind of like, ‘You know, all of America is going to see your scalp and be like, oh, my God,’ [and] cover their eyes,” he recalled.
In November, Nelson spent four days on set in Los Angeles to film his role in the show.
On the set of a show filled with tense moments and tough decisions, Nelson says there were certainly levels of “intensity” when the cameras were rolling.
“You want to make sure you got all your lines proper and that you’re believable in your efforts,” he explained.
It was between cuts that the Windsor-native realized what made the show special.
“Like everybody, you can tell, is just so grateful to be a part of this show and to be working so consistently,” he explained.
Born in Windsor, Nelson spent his younger years in the Rose City, where he attended Walkerville Collegiate Institute.
He received a bachelor of fine arts in theatre acting on the other side of the Detroit River at Wayne State University.
Since the episode aired, Nelson has received an outpouring of support from people in the area, congratulating him on the role.
“Which is really heartwarming to just see other people from Windsor who enjoy the show so much and are really happy to see somebody from their city appearing on it,” he said.
Nelson has made appearances in other notable shows such as Chicago Fire, Murdoch Mysteries and Mayor of Kingstown.
Following his latest shining role, he’s focused on the release of a new TV show, The Westies, where he’ll make recurring appearances.
Off the screen, Nelson is preparing to have a play he wrote staged in Windsor this fall, as a result of winning a competition.
For each accomplishment, Nelson is hopeful his work can inspire others in Windsor-Essex who aspire to have a career in the arts.
“I’m hoping to spread the word to the city and kind of put us on the map a little bit and show that it’s possible to become an actor and a performer out of Windsor and make a career for yourself,” he said.
