Geoffrey Owens is checking in to “The Pitt,” Variety can exclusively announce. Owens will play Dr. Clay Barrett, a cardio-thoracic surgeon, in the 13th episode of Season 2, airing April 2.
Season 2 of the HBO hit has included a slew of big guest stars; the latest announced were Mary McCormack, who will reunite with her “ER” costar Noah Wyle and play neurosurgeon Dr. Linda Conley; and Wyle’s wife, Sara Wyle, who will play ER patient Ashley Davis. They both also appear in episode 13.
Owens is best known for his role as Elvin Tibideaux on “The Cosby Show,” appearing in 128 episodes. In 2018, he went viral online after photos circulated of him at work at Trader Joe’s.
“I quit Trader Joe’s actually before the news hit,” Owens said during a “Big Tigger Morning Show” appearance in 2024. “It was strange because someone had been in the store taking pictures. … And I was like, well, now that this is breaking, I’m not going to feel comfortable working in this store, wondering who’s around with a camera. It’s gonna be just too weird. I’m a very private person.”
After the photos surfaced, he received an offer from Tyler Perry to appear in OWN drama “The Haves and Have Nots.” Nicki Minaj also gifted him $25,000, and he donated the money to charity. Last year, he starred in “A Merry Little X-Mas” and “Nonnas.”
In 2024, he shared, “Right now, as we speak, I still struggle to make a living. I struggle every day to make my ends meet. And people can’t get their heads around that because they see me in movies, whether it’s ‘Mr. Santa’ or, you know, I’m on ‘Poppa’s House’ on CBS. All the TV shows I’ve done and all that stuff. People have the impression that, ‘Well, you’re making a lot of money. What’s the problem? Why would you have financial troubles?’ They don’t understand the specifics of how my industry works.”
New episodes of “The Pitt” drop on HBO Max every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.