‘The Pitt’ actress Fiona Dourif on the show and her Woodstock roots

WOODSTOCK — Fiona Dourif likes to say she didn’t just grow up in Woodstock — she was born into it.

The 44-year-old actor entered the world in the upstairs bedroom of her father’s home in the village, in what she describes as a very Woodstock scene: a midwife, a couple of hippies and, according to family lore, her mother drinking vodka to manage the pain. Her father, actor Brad Dourif, still lives in the house.

Dourif followed him into acting. Brad Dourif earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and went on to appear in films including “Blue Velvet,” “Dune” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” as well as HBO’s “Deadwood.”

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After her parents separated when she was 4, Dourif moved to Los Angeles with her mother and older sister. But Woodstock remained a constant. From age 10 on, she returned every summer and Christmas, maintaining a connection that continues today.

Meanwhile, her father, she said, became something of a local fixture.

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Sorting through old boxes recently, Dourif found receipts showing he ate nearly every meal for years at the Bear Cafe. “I’m not even sure he owned a pan,” she said, describing a life spent among musicians from The Band and other local artists.

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Over time, she’s watched Woodstock and the broader Hudson Valley evolve, drawing more downstate transplants and a “cooler” cultural scene.

“There are great restaurants. There are young people. I have a few friends who have moved up and never go to the city,” Dourif said. “Obviously, real estate went really crazy during the pandemic.”

Still, her routines haven’t changed much: hiking Overlook Mountain, browsing Kingston’s vintage shops and catching movies at Upstate Films.

Now, Dourif is reaching a wider audience with her role as Dr. Cassie McKay on the HBO Max medical drama “The Pitt,” whose second season is currently airing. Though she has worked with directors like Christopher Nolan (“Tenet”) and Paul Thomas Anderson (“The Master”), the series has brought a new level of visibility.

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The Hudson Valley connection extends to the set. On her first day, Dourif was surprised to find head makeup artist Myriam Arougheti, whose family has known hers for decades. The moment underscored what she described as a close-knit, almost familial atmosphere behind the scenes.

“She knew my mom before my mom passed,” Dourif said. “When I saw her there, I was like, ‘What the f___ are you doing here!?”

She credits the show’s success — including major awards and strong viewership — to its focus on flawed, human characters.

“We’re all trying to do our best,” she said. “The show is about people trying to be kind in difficult situations.”

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To prepare for the role, the cast underwent two weeks of medical training, learning everything from suturing to diagnostic basics. Medical professionals remain on set to ensure accuracy.

Despite the intensity of the material, Dourif said the production runs smoothly, with a structured schedule that allows the cast and crew to maintain a life outside work. Landing the role in her 40s, she said, felt “like winning the lottery.”

“It’s just an extremely well-oiled machine. Everyone is so professional and so happy to be there,” Dourif said. “We’re always wrapped by 6:30 p.m. We just work from Monday to Friday. Everyone has a family and life they want to go back to.”

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She hopes the show’s success encourages more productions to return to Los Angeles and embrace a traditional, craft-driven approach to television.

“A good set makes all the difference,” she said. “It’s storytelling, writing, performances — and a crew that really knows what they’re doing.”