NBC’s new medical drama, Brilliant Minds, premiered on September 23 with new episodes set to air weekly on Mondays. Inspired by real-life physician, Oliver Sacks, the series follows a neurologist with face blindness (Zachary Quinto, Star Trek), who prioritizes patients over policy. When his unconventional treatment methods result in his firing, Oliver’s long-time friend, Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry, All American: Homecoming), offers him an opportunity to work alongside her at Bronx General Hospital.
Oliver and Carol’s dynamic is the most heartfelt aspect of Brilliant Minds, and Tamberla Perry is glad that her real-life friendship with Zachary Quinto translates to the screen. She emphasizes that the two characters see each other for who they really are, as Carol is one of the few doctors who believes in Oliver’s non-traditional approach to care. In addition to Perry and Quinto, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Teddy Sears, and Donna Murphy make up the main cast.
Screen Rant interviewed Perry about what drew her to the series, Carol and Oliver’s friendship, the show’s emphasis on mental health, and what fans can look forward to as Brilliant Minds season 1 continues.
From The Moment She Read The Brilliant Minds Script, Perry Knew She Had To Play Carol
“This was a different show. This was unlike any of the shows that I could think of on television at the time, or even previously.”
Screen Rant: What were your initial thoughts when you first heard the concept of Brilliant Minds?
Tamberla Perry: I got this audition at maybe, five o’clock on a Wednesday, and it was due at 10:00 AM on a Thursday, and it was like 14 pages of dialogue. That’s what the industry was doing to us at that point. I remember finishing reading the script at around 2:00 AM. I walked into the living room, and I said to my husband, because he was going to take me for the audition, I said, “I’ll be ready at 8:00 AM to record this because I’m about to book this job.” I just knew.
I knew from the moment I read this script, I knew that I had to have it. I don’t covet roles. As actors, we want to work, and the things that we audition for, most of the time, we want to book, but 98% of our job is rejection. We get told no most of the time. You shouldn’t put a whole lot into these things because otherwise you’ll get your feelings hurt every single day of the week. But when I read this, I said, “I’ve got to get this one. I’ve got to get it.” And I did.
I taped that audition. I gave it my all, and when I read the script, it was different. This was a different show. This was unlike any of the shows that I could think of on television at the time, or even previously. A show dealing with mental health, especially at a time where it’s so topical, is such a hot topic. It really spoke to me. I was excited to get every single call that said, “You made it to the next round.” And I did wonder when these rounds were going to end, but I was there for every step of the way.
As you started filming and getting to know this character, what stood out to you about Carol and the way she approached her work as a doctor?
Tamberla Perry: Carol “Fierce” Pierce, as I like to call her, the Chief of Psychiatry at Bronx General is actually based off of Carol E. Burnett, who was actually a pediatrician and a best friend and colleague of Dr. Oliver Sacks, of whom this story is inspired by. So my character is completely based on a real woman who was loyal to Oliver Sacks. She understood him. She was the first Black graduate at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in 1960.
But beyond that, she was a pioneer and a trailblazer for diversity in medical education and just a leader and a sheer force in the fight against health disparities at that time in the 60s. Today, we are still talking about health disparities. So to step into the shoes of this woman, who this character is based off of, and build upon that legacy—a lot of people don’t know about Carol Burnett. There’s not a lot out there about her. There’s a lot of stuff out there about Oliver Sacks.
I took it upon myself to do the best I could in honoring who she was and honoring the relationship that she had with Oliver Sacks in this role. I like to say that I bring bits of what I read about her, bits of Diahann Carroll, and also, bits of one of my favorite comedic actresses, Regina King, to the role. And through all of these women, even through women that I know, I’ve been able to create this “Fierce Pierce” that, hopefully, audiences will get to know and love over the next few weeks.
Perry Unpacks Carol And Oliver’s Friendship In Brilliant Minds
“They were in the trenches together, and she knows that her friend is a genius.”
Going off of that, Carol is the first person to, literally, come knocking and offer an opportunity to Oliver. What does she see in him that other doctors don’t?
Tamberla Perry: Oliver, in the industry, is seen as challenging, a bit of a troublemaker, but she knows her friend. They were in the trenches together, and she knows that her friend is a genius. She knows that if he decides to come to this hospital, that they can create this dream team of neuropsychology, really focusing on patients and helping patients that other people may have discarded, thrown out, and deemed as hopeless.
So she knows that her friend is a genius. She knows that he’s literally going to step into the shoes of the patients to really understand what’s happening with them and then give them the tools to go out and adapt. She knows that about him. She knows that there’s going to be a bit of resistance to bringing him, but she knows that he’s what’s best for that hospital and for that department.
The friendship between them was really the heart of the pilot episode for me.
Tamberla Perry: I didn’t ask you for that compliment, but that seems to be a theme, a throughline with a lot of people that we’ve interviewed with. It’s just about the friendship that Wolf and I have on screen, but it also translates offscreen. We really have fallen in love with each other in a friendship way, as in our personal relationship. I’m so glad that that’s translating professionally.
On the flip side of that, what makes Oliver feel like he can trust Carol?
Tamberla Perry: She sees him, and she has seen him for a long time, and that was the case with Carol Burnett and Oliver Sacks. She saw him. Carol Burnett was there when they were in their young twenties, and people didn’t really understand who he was. And I think that’s what our creators and our writers are really trying to get across. This has been his go-to person for forever, and they’ve really been that for each other. That’s the hope that we’re trying to give to our audiences, that everybody isn’t fortunate enough to have people see them, but that’s what we want. We want people to watch this show and feel seen.
Perry Teases What’s To Come In Brilliant Minds Season 1
“You really get to see a turning point of mental health for several different people.”
I loved Oliver’s scenes with the interns. Will Carol be interacting with that group? What could those dynamics look like this season?
Tamberla Perry: As the show goes on, we’ll get to see her interact with them quite a bit. They are his interns, and I bring him to this hospital not really letting him know that he’s going to have a team of interns working with him, so that comes as a surprise to him. Ashleigh LaThrop, Spence Moore II, Aury Krebs, and Alex MacNicoll play these characters.
Once people get cast, and they do such a good job, you can’t think of other people in these roles. These four actors embody these four characters perfectly. As the series goes on, you will definitely see some interactions between myself and them. They respect me. I’m the boss. This is my hospital. I know it’s called Wolf, but it’s really Carol’s hospital.
Apart from the pilot, which episode this season are you most looking forward to fans seeing?
Tamberla Perry: I’m going to say 11. It’s towards the end, but I think it’s one of the episodes where you really get to see a turning point of mental health for several different people.
About NBC’s Medical Drama Brilliant Minds
Michael Grassi serves as creator, writer, and executive producer
Inspired by the extraordinary life and work of world-famous author and physician Oliver Sacks, “Brilliant Minds” follows a revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier – the human mind – while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.
Check out the official trailer for Brilliant Minds below:
Brilliant Minds airs Mondays on NBC at 10 p.m. ET.
