Like many Pittsburghers, Lorna Lominac is a fan of “The Pitt.”
As a Point Park University acting student, “My roommates and I, we would just like gab about it, like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s so cool, there’s a show (set) in Pittsburgh,’” Lominac told TribLive.
But Lominac didn’t imagine the medical drama would be where she made her television acting debut.
On last Thursday’s episode, “5:00 PM,” Lominac appeared as Kiki, an unhoused woman struggling with addiction, who’s treated by the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s street team. In a scene set in Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Commons Park, Dr. Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif) and medical student James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson) leave the emergency department to dress Kiki’s necrotic leg wound.
In a testament to “no small parts,” “The Pitt” is highly regarded for its guest actors, featuring emerging talent in service of the show’s patient-centered storytelling.
While Ogilvie exchanges few words with Kiki, his demeanor appears to change — part of a season-long arc toward the character developing empathy, actor Lucas Iverson said in a recent interview.
“Addiction and substance abuse are huge themes throughout the show, and I think that really was ramping up in that episode. I’m excited to see how that unfolds for the rest of the characters, especially Ogilvie,” Lominac said.
Beyond the affecting messaging, “It was so surreal,” Lominac said of her TV debut. “To watch myself be on a show that represents Pittsburgh, and then for me to have established so many roots here … It was such an honor. I am kind of speechless about it still.
“I think Pittsburgh is the perfect city for the show,” she said. “Walking around here, living Downtown, you really do see such a diverse pool of people.”
A Houston, Texas, native, Lominac moved to Pittsburgh attend Point Park in 2021, and fell “absolutely in love with this city.”
“From the moment I stepped foot here, looking out at the skyline, it’s so beautiful,” she said. “It’s such an alive city. You can really feel all the history here … And I think that it cultivates fantastic artists.”
Lominac immersed herself “into the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and its history.” Living Downtown, she rode the bus and listened to Pittsburgh-born rapper Mac Miller, visited the August Wilson House in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, and learned about Point Park faculty’s experiences working on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
Point Park’s acting program, she said, “really changed me as a person for the better. I met so many wonderful people, and all those relationships really informed me about the human experience.”
Lominac said in addition to representing her adopted city on “The Pitt” — while filming, she was told she has the distinction of being the show’s first locally-hired actor outside of background actors.
“I’m very proud to represent Point Park,” she said.
Approaching her graduation last April, Lominac dove headlong into Pittsburgh’s theater community, co-producing and appearing in “Witch,” an adaptation of a 17th century drama by playwright Jen Silverman, at Carnegie Stage.
In August, a casting call for “The Pitt” went out to local universities seeking actors for Kiki’s role.
“And I (thought), this is insane. I love the show, I would absolutely love to audition,” Lominac said. “This was (my) first big audition, (so) no expectations, but how cool to audition for something to represent the place that is my home away from home.”
Booking her role on “The Pitt,” Lominac recalled studying “The West Wing,” another show by executive producer John Wells, in a Point Park class about acting for the camera.
“So it was just very full circle,” she said.
Walking onto the set in September “was so exciting, so intimidating. Every emotion I could have possibly felt I was feeling that day,” Lominac remembered.
“The Pitt” arrived in Pittsburgh to film its second season the day after winning five Emmy awards, “so everybody was just in such a good mood.”
Lominac was comforted to see friends and Point Park classmates among the Pittsburgh-based cast and crew.
Creating Kiki’s wound took three hours of makeup with a prosthetic cut weeks before filming. During the process with “The Pitt” hair and makeup team, Lominac got to “pick their brain a little bit.”
“I give such big props to that entire team, seeing all the work that goes into it,” she said.
Her scene partners Fiona Dourif and Lucas Iverson also stopped into the makeup trailer, “and they were so kind, so encouraging and so excited for me doing my first project.”
Outside of filming her scene, Lominac isn’t sure what will happen next on “The Pitt.”
“I’m watching this season along with everybody else now, a fan,” she laughed.
But she says she’ll cherish her debut acting experience as “so joyous,” and plans to remain a Pittsburgher involved with local theater.
“Pittsburgh is such a beautiful city. I love it so much,” Lominac said. “The communities are so grounded and established and welcoming. There is so much opportunity for people and for artists.”