{"id":3117,"date":"2026-01-09T13:41:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T13:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cncurc.org\/index.php\/2026\/01\/09\/isa-briones-on-filipino-visibility-her-role-in-the-pitt-it-brought-me-to-tears\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T13:41:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T13:41:01","slug":"isa-briones-on-filipino-visibility-her-role-in-the-pitt-it-brought-me-to-tears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cncurc.org\/index.php\/2026\/01\/09\/isa-briones-on-filipino-visibility-her-role-in-the-pitt-it-brought-me-to-tears\/","title":{"rendered":"Isa Briones On Filipino Visibility & Her Role In The Pitt: \u201cIt Brought Me To Tears\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

In the critically acclaimed HBO series The Pitt<\/em>, Isa Briones plays Dr. Trinity Santos, a character with a name that, much like Briones\u2019 own, carries the weight and pride of a heritage often left in the periphery of mainstream television. For Briones, the role isn\u2019t just another credit; it\u2019s a long-overdue correction to the medical drama genre.<\/p>\n

\u201cI find it so strange that up until now there has not really been a lot of Filipino representation in medical shows,\u201d Briones tells Refinery29. <\/em>It\u2019s a gap in the narrative that feels particularly glaring when you look at the reality of the healthcare system. \u201cIt\u2019s insane because Filipinos make up one of the biggest populations of medical professionals in this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Briones, the importance of this visibility hit home during the very first moments of the series. \u201cIt was really exciting once I learned that there were two Filipino nurses,\u201d she reflects. \u201cIn the first five minutes of episode one, they\u2019re speaking Tagalog. It brought me to tears the first time I saw it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That emotional connection to the script wasn\u2019t accidental, it started through Briones\u2019 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\u2019t fit.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

I saw it as a chance to represent my heritage along with Filipino people in healthcare in a small way by changing [Dr. Santos\u2019s] name.<\/p>\n

Isa Briones<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

That \u201csmall\u201d change resulted in Dr. Trinity Santos, a name that resonates with the Filipino community. \u201cEven though it\u2019s small, it\u2019s still impactful,\u201d Briones explains. \u201cI\u2019ve talked to a lot of Filipino nurses and doctors who are just like, \u2018Yeah, we never see ourselves even though we are such a big part of this community.\u2019 It feels very cathartic to be represented and to see the beauty of it.\u201d<\/p>\n