Colin and Norma give a sneak peek into what their characters are going to face in the upcoming season of the hit NBC show.
NBC’s Chicago Med had fans gripped to the edge of their seats at the end of last season with an immense cliffhanger. While that mostly affected Oliver Platt’s character, Colin and Norma’s characters are certainly looking to be shaping into quite the interesting rivalry. In our talk, Colin and Norma gave us a great deal of insight into what it’s like playing doctors on television and what effect they’ve been having on their fans. Colin, for example, noted that he’s gotten a number of letters that fans have written stating that he has inspired them to become doctors. Norma gave us some unique insight as to what it’s like playing a South African, despite not being South African the fact that she has never visited the country.
It’s always interesting to hear what the cast has to say about what it’s like living in that role and working on set, especially in such a magnetic cast. With Norma being new and Colin being a staple, it was also incredible hearing how different their stances were but how similar they were in the joy of getting to work together on such an amazing show. Check out our interview with them below.
Colin Donnell and Norma Kuhling
What have you enjoyed most about exploring this character?
Colin: I think the overall progression of Connor from day one to where we are now is such a sort of brazen alpha dog, over the course of the end of the first season, working with Doctor Downey, his relationship with Robin over season 2, up to now being introduced now to Doctor Bekkar, it’s been a joy. Every time we get a new script it’s like a little bit more that gets revealed about him. I’m especially proud about this first episode of season three of Robin and Connor and how that ties into his work and how the dichotomy, really, of everything.
With your character’s relationship with Robin, it’s like things at work are tough and things at home are also tough. How is it for you as an actor going from place to place with no rest.
Colin: I think what we’re starting to figure out for Connor is how his relationship at home is affecting his life at home and vice versa. They’re trying to build this romantic relationship and at the same time they’re trying to figure out the caretaker/patient role. She’s very aware of her disease and how it’s affecting him and he’s very intent on making things work.
Do you get letters from fans about how you inspired them to be doctors?
Colin: We have a few. It’s always amazing to see. You always hope that what you do has a wider effect than just entertainment. When we hear someone that’s inspired to go out and do something like it, it’s amazing to me. I think they’re in for a bit of a rude awakening, it’s not as glamorous as it seems on television, but we hope to have an effect like that on people.
What did you know about Dick Wolf before you joined his show? Were you a big fan of his work?
Norma: Oh yea. He’s like a titan in the industry. I really respected admire his work. I think he does a great job creating things with longevity and picking people who are solid human beings who are going to be easy to work with and also just to create incredible stories. It’s been a real honor to be apart of it.
After playing a doctor, do you have a new found respect for doctors?
Norma: Oh god yea. It’s funny because my mom always joked because I was either going to be an actress or a doctor. I was thinking of going to med school, then I was like, let’s give acting a shot and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll go back to med school. So I kind of got like the best of both worlds, cause I get to pretend to do that! Yea, so I have a huge amount of respect for doctors and you know, surgeons have to make like life or death decisions, like throughout the day pretty much, at any moment, you pretty much just have to trust your gut and be like, this is what’s going to save that person’s life and I don’t know if that’s true and I can’t doubt myself because I don’t have time. That sort of thinking on your feet aspect. Not only do you have to be brilliant and work really hard to know about the human body, but you have to trust you impulses to know what to do on the fly in a very high stakes scenarios.
Do you work with a dialect coach?
Norma: Oh yes!
Have you ever visited South Africa?
Norma: I have not. I’m praying that what I’m doing isn’t offensive to anyone!
