'The Pitt's Surprising Cameo Means More Than You Think -

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Pitt Episode 4.

The Pitt is really becoming a family affair. There’s the devastating angst between Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) and his stepson of sorts, Jake (Taj Speights), in the wake of the mass shooting, but there’s the family drama surrounding Dr. Cassie McKay, played by Fiona Dourif. Cassie is an instantly lovable character in The Pitt, but she’s a bit of a mystery, too. Initially revealed to be dealing with her ankle monitor the entire season thanks to her ex and his new girlfriend, her main goal in Episode 14, “8:00 P.M.,” is to get her son out of the hospital as shooting casualties pour into the ER. Luckily, her father comes to the rescue to take him home. As it turns out, Mr. McKay is played by Dourif’s real-life father, Brad Dourif, best known as the voice of horror icon and nightmare doll, Chucky, as well as for many other roles.

Dourif has been a steady force during The Pitt‘s first season, with Cassie serving as a far cry from the actress’s horror-dominated filmography. Before the hit Max medical drama, she most famously took part in several installments of her father’s franchise, including Curse of Chucky, Cult of Chucky, and even the Chucky TV series. The Pitt‘s latest episode was cathartic, but also sorrowful, as the entire staff at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital is now processing the outcome of the catastrophic mass shooting. Still, it was a joy to see both Dourifs on-screen for a more wholesome reunion, with Brad Dourif providing a welcome dose of comedy during a harrowing event.

Brad Dourif Had the Perfect Cameo in ‘The Pitt’ Episode 14

Chucky has become one of the most beloved horror franchises, and that’s largely because of Brad Dourif’s performance as the manic, murderous doll. Having Chucky show up in The Pitt‘s ER may not have been on our bingo card, but we’re not mad about it! In The Pitt, Brad Dourif brings a welcome lightness to his brief scenes as Cassie’s endearing father. It’s also refreshing to see Dourif in a role outside his many well-known villains. There’s an instant connection between real-life father and daughter, which adds to the feeling of realism that the show already has.

Sometimes, you just need your dad to go off on your ex, and Brad Dourif proved to be the best man for the job. While his appearance may have been fleeting, his jabs at Cassie’s sleazy ex, Chad (Rob Heaps), are also the funniest and most satisfying part of the episode. Given that Chad is only in the hospital after a foolhardy skateboarding incident, Mr. McKay’s belittling of him is welcome comic relief in an otherwise stressful episode — which culminates in Cassie herself being handcuffed by police after previously tampering with her ankle monitor in the episode prior. Maybe her dad will come to the rescue again, and we’ll get to see more of Brad Dourif in the process.

Speaking to Collider, Fiona Dourif shared how her father’s cameo in The Pitt came about: “[Executive producer] Simran Baidwan was the one who approached me before they put the offer out to my dad to see how I felt, and I was delighted. The Dourifs were delighted. It was really tender and special.” She also reflected on the last time they’d shared the screen together, adding: “We’ve been on set before. The last time I was physically playing him, with the same face. So, this was different, but really special. I’m incredibly lucky to have a dad [who’s invested] and I like hanging out with. Not everybody gets that.”

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Fiona Dourif joins her father to discuss the scene and reveal a shocking family secret that could shake the horror community.

What Other Roles Is Brad Dourif Best Known For?

While Dourif is mostly recognized for his performance as Chucky, the killer doll is merely one role within a long and prolific career featuring complex men who are often battling inner demons. Dourif got his big break in what is considered one of the greatest films ever made, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, starring Jack Nicholson as a criminal who fakes mental illness so he can be in a mental institution over prison. A young Dourif arguably gave the movie’s most vulnerable performance, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Fans of the Academy-Award-winning film trilogy, The Lord of the Rings likely also recognize him as the despicable Grima Wormtongue. On the small screen, Dourif has held many guest and recurring roles in TV shows like The X-Files, Fringe, Deadwood, and Star Trek: Voyager.

While it’s a heartwarming moment to see father and daughter acting opposite each other on-screen again, it also has significance for both actors’ careers. Fiona Dourif arguably got her acting start in the Chucky franchise as Nica Pierce, and while Brad Dourif has largely retired from acting (apart from voicing the killer doll), it feels like a full-circle moment to see him involved with The Pitt, if only briefly. While the cast of The Pitt is relatively unknown, there’s more than one cast member with a famous acting parent, as Taylor Dearden, who plays fan-favorite Dr. Mel King, is the daughter of Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston. While Cranston has yet to make a cameo, we’ll take the win of this sweet father-daughter Dourif reunion any day. Hopefully, now that her dad has shown up, Cassie will be able to finish the rest of her shift in peace — without any handcuffs.