Join us for a panel with some of the 2026 Emmy-nominated actors discussing the actors work of taking lines on a page to capturing a character for the screen. This panel includes Patrick Ball (The Pitt), Linda Cardellini (DTF St. Louis) and Christopher McDonald (Hacks).

BIOS:

Patrick Ball stars in the Emmy, Golden Globe, Actor, and Critics Choice Award-winning HBO Max series, THE PITT. Season two premiered on January 8, 2026, and they are currently in production on season three. Ball plays ‘Dr. Frank Langdon’ in the series, which has become only the sixth current series on HBO Max to surpass 15 million domestic viewers per episode. Ball’s performance in season one earned him an individual Critics Choice Award nomination, and for the second season, he received his first Emmy Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. This spring, Ball made his Broadway debut as Andrew in the Tony Award-nominated play, BECKY SHAW from Second Stage Theater. Directed by Trip Cullman and from two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Gina Gionfriddo, BECKY SHAW is a dark comedy that centers on a blind date as it spirals spectacularly off the rails. The show opened at the Helen Hayes Theatre on April 6, 2026, with the limited run concluding on June 14, 2026. Also on stage, in 2025, Ball starred in the title role in the Center Theatre Group production of HAMLET, directed by Robert O'Hara. His previous theatre credits include Las Aventuras de Juan Planchard (Tectonic Theater Project/Miami New Drama),The XIXth (The Old Globe), Pinter’s The Collection and The Lover (Shakespeare Theatre Company), All My Son's (Repertory Theatre of St Louis), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Illusion, The Passion of Theresa Rae King (A World Premiere Appalachian adaptation of Emile Zola's Therese Raquin) at Triad Stage, Sex with Strangers (at Theatreworks Hartford/Theatre Aspen), Shining City (Barrington Stage), and World premiere adaptations of Tarkovsky's Solaris and Zulawski’s That Most Important Thing: Love with Dangerous Grounds. Ball is a graduate of Yale School of Drama.

Linda Cardellini is Emmy, SAG and Spirit Award nominated and is one of the most versatile and celebrated actresses of her generation. Cardellini currently stars in the award worthy HBO dark comedy “DTF St. Louis” alongside Jason Bateman and David Harbour. Created by Steven Conrad, the series follows a love triangle between three adults, that leads to one’s untimely demise. Cardellini has earned an Emmy nomination in the category “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie” and a Gotham Television Award in the category of “Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series” for her performance as Carol. Cardellini will next star in the A24 and Peacock series “Friday the 13th,” a prequel story based on the original movies of the same name. Cardellini will star as Pamela Voorhees, who has given up a singing career to raise a special needs child and shifts when she loses her son. The series will premiere on Peacock on October 15, 2026. Cardellini also starred as a lead in Netflix’s dark comedy series, “No Good Deed,” reuniting her with creator/executive producer Liz Feldman (“Dead to Me”) alongside Christina Applegate from showrunner Liz Feldman and Gloria Sanchez Productions. Cardellini also served as a producer on the series. The show was one of Netflix’s most watched series. Cardellini earned both an Emmy nomination and a SAG nomination for her performance in the second season. On the small screen, Cardellini starred from 2015-2017 as ‘Meg Rayburn’ opposite Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, and Sissy Spacek, in the critically acclaimed Netflix drama series “Bloodline.” Created by Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler (“Damages”), the thriller-drama series focused on a family of adult siblings who find their past secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep of a brother returns home. The same year, Cardellini co-starred in the film “Welcome to Me,” alongside Kristen Wiig, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, James Marsden and Wes Bentley. The film was directed by Shira Piven and had been awarded Top 10 Independent Film for the National Board Review. Additional film credits include her portrayal of ‘Velma’ in Warner Brothers’ pair of popular “Scooby-Doo” films, ‘Joan Kroc’ in John Lee Hancock’s “The Founder” opposite Michael Keaton, Donovan Marsh’s thriller, “Hunter Killer” with Gerard Butler, Billy Bob Thornton, and Gary Oldman, and Paul Feig’s “A Simple Favor,” with Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, and Henry Golding. Cardellini’s talent first came to prominence starring as academic decathlete ‘Lindsay Weir’ on the celebrated Emmy-nominated NBC series “Freaks and Geeks.” She is also well-known for her portrayal of ‘Nurse Samantha Taggart’ on NBC’s highly-rated, critically acclaimed series, “ER.” She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Loyola Marymount University and completed a summer study program at the National Theatre in London. Cardellini currently resides in Los Angeles.

Christopher McDonald is a two-time Primetime Emmy Award-nominated actor whose career has spanned more than four decades across film and television. He currently stars as Marty on HBO Max's acclaimed comedy Hacks, earning Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in both 2022 and 2026. He also reprises his iconic role as Shooter McGavin opposite Adam Sandler in Netflix's Happy Gilmore 2. One of Hollywood's most recognizable and enduring actors, McDonald has built a remarkable body of work with unforgettable performances in films including Happy Gilmore, Thelma & Louise, Quiz Show, Requiem for a Dream, The Iron Giant, and Broken Flowers. More recently, he has appeared in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Ryan Murphy's The Watcher, and Rosaline. On television, McDonald has been a familiar presence for decades, with standout roles in acclaimed series including Boardwalk Empire, The Sopranos, The Good Wife, Ballers, American Crime Story: Impeachment, and Hacks, showcasing a rare versatility across both comedy and drama. A classically trained actor, McDonald studied at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the Stella Adler Conservatory in New York before embarking on one of Hollywood's most respected careers.