Patrick Ball's dad will tell you he doesn't remember this story, but here it is anyway. When Ball was growing up in North Carolina, he was busted for drugs in high school, so Dad pulled him aside. He didn't confiscate a phone or car keys or even ground the kid as retribution, but he did send a message that damn near branded itself on Ball's brain. "Here's the thing, man," Dad starts. "One of the most important freedoms that someone has is the freedom to fail. This is your life. If you want to fuck it up, go ahead, but you only get one of them." Ball never forgot it, even when he exercised that freedom so much that he almost did fuck it all up. "That was a really pivotal moment for me," Ball, now 36, tells me from his home in Los Angeles. The God-given gift to fall flat on his face has fueled a remarkable acting career so far: more than a decade leveling up his talents in America's theaters, the starring role in Robert O'Hara's Hamlet, and a breakout turn in HBO Max's almost unbearably tense, award-sweeping medical drama The Pitt. Ball plays Dr. Frank Langdon, a charismatic young father who, in season 1's big twist, we learn has been stealing prescription drugs from patients to nurse a back issue. In season 2, Langdon is back in the hospital for the first time in ten months, trying to make amends but quickly realizing that not everyone is so willing to forgive him. "Telling the story of addiction, it's my responsibility to put it out there for all its pockmarks," Ball says. "I got a lot of people thanking me and telling me how this affects their lives and the lives of who they love. I got a bunch of health-care workers reaching out and saying that this really affects them and has affected people in every hospital that they've ever worked in." He pauses. Smiles. "And, you know, a bunch of people reaching out and telling me that I'm a huge piece of shit." Playing against Emmy winners Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa, Ball nails all the awkwardness, earnest apology making, and microaggressions that a man in Langdon's position may face in the workplace. It's not only a portrait of early recovery that we rarely see on TV, but it's also an issue that's highly personal to the actor. "I'm coming up on four years sober," he says. "I got a lot of people that are very, very close to me that have struggled with addiction, some of which have gotten help, some of which haven't." Langdon's journey so far comes to a head in season 2, episode 7, "1:00 P.M.," when he finally corners Robby long enough to deliver an apology he's likely rehearsed for months. The only problem? Robby isn't ready to hear it—and it seems like there's a strong chance he never will. After Langdon bares his soul, screaming regrets through the deafening buzz of a landing chopper, Robby hits him with a savage line: "I'm really glad you got the help that you need, but I don't know if I want you working in my ER." "That first year of recovery in particular can be really disorienting," Ball explains of what Langdon is going through at this point in season 2. "You're having to learn to metabolize your life and feel feelings for the first time, which you have been burying for your entire life, and come to terms with the wreckage that you've made and take ownership over that. It is worthwhile work, because once you get through it, life is a lot better. But it's not like a light switch." When we speak in mid-January, Ball is in the middle of filming the season 2 finale—but he's still looking ahead. HBO already renewed The Pitt for season 3, which means there's a nonzero chance that we'll be back on Zoom—same time, same place—talking about Langdon's next chapter in January 2027. "I am very excited for season 3, because it is a story that requires a third act," Ball says, referring to Langdon's arc specifically. Next up right now is a rare three-week break. Then he moves to New York City to begin rehearsals for his first Broadway appearance, in the dark comedy Becky Shaw, in which he'll star alongside Alden Ehrenreich and Linda Emond. "I am very thankful to be able to go back to the theater and go back to New York," he says. "I was living in Brooklyn when The Pitt came along, and it's still where I feel most at home." How could Ball possibly have nerves for his Broadway debut? He's got that freedom to fail. By Brady Langmann |
Ball has more to say about episode 7, so keep reading if you want his full breakdown of the helipad throw-down, the joys and pains of life as the best boy, and his preview for the back half of The Pitt season 2. |
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Patrick Ball (left) and Noah Wyle (right), on season 2 of The Pitt. / photo by HBO Max |
Thank you for sharing your favorite Robert Duvall films last week. I ended up rewatching THX-118 this weekend after so many recommended it. Did you know that the sci-fi film was George Lucas's directorial debut? Produced by The Godfather's Francis Ford Coppola? You really can't go wrong in those capable hands. I agree with one of our commenters last week who wrote, "Should be a top 25 list! So many more great performances." It's tough to name a bad Duvall performance, even in a just-okay film. I'll keep the Duvall films rolling this weekend during the blizzard here in New York. If you have any more recommendations, let me know by writing to josh.rosenberg@hearst.com. Did someone forward you this email? Sign up here. |
The Continuing Adventures of the Esquire Entertainment Desk |
Eric Dane, the Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria actor, died at age 53 following a battle with ALS. Brady Langmann recalls his interview with Dane in 2022, when the actor was on his Emmy campaign for Euphoria season 2. "He taught me that wearing your heart on your sleeve doesn't have to take a Herculean effort, or some big, remarkable show," Langmann wrote about Dane. "It's okay to bring your whole self to the table, and people can take it or leave it." Read the full tribute here. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premiered its season 1 finale last night. Read our recap here to see what we thought of the second Game of Thrones spinoff series. (Hint: we loved it!) I can't believe we won't have Dunk on our screens on Sunday nights anymore. Lucky for fans, showrunner Ira Parker told us all about his ambitious season 2 plans here. |
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Peter Claffey in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms / photo by: HBO Max |
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The Cliff-Hanger's Winners and Losers of the Week |
Winner: Nazgul A local wolfdog near the Milan-Cortina 2026 cross-country skiing event escaped his home and ran onto the course this past week. The two-year-old pup, named Nazgul, sprinted toward the finish line and raced alongside the competitors before receiving some belly rubs from the athletes. Sadly, he didn't finish fast enough to medal. Loser: Wine and Chocolate Chip Cookies LeBron James revealed this week that—to continue to compete in the NBA at a high level at 41 years old—he was forced to give up two of his favorite things in the world: wine and chocolate chip cookies. On social media, WNBA star Caitlin Clark joked, "I'd rather retire." Winner: Dr. Tom Hackett Olympic skier Linsey Vonn told ESPN that she would have lost her leg if not for emergency surgery from Dr. Tom Hackett—an orthopedic surgeon who works for Vonn and Team USA. According to Vonn, Dr. Hackett was only even in Cortina for this Olympics run to manage her torn ACL. So, in a bizarre turn of events, her prior injury actually helped her save her new one. Loser: Marty Supreme Despite many film fans anticipating a big win for Marty Supreme at the Oscars next month, the Josh Safdie and Timothee Chalamet film earned a different kind of record at the BAFTAs this weekend. The film went 0-11 on 11 nominations, tying the record for the most losses in a single night in BAFTA history. If I know Marty, I'm sure he's absolutely fuming right now. Winner: The Cliff-Hanger Today, The Cliff-Hanger celebrates its one-year anniversary! Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you've enjoyed the first year of Esquire's entertainment newsletter. We put our all into each interview, recap, and review, and your dedicated readership really means the world to us. Here's to another great year! |
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 Monday, February 23, 2026 |
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When Paloma Karr came to Esquire with the idea of writing about her job as a sex worker at a Nevada brothel, we were intrigued. We weren't interested in a voyeuristic account of paying for sex, or a sordid story about being a sex worker, however, and Paloma wasn't, either. Instead, we viewed it as an opportunity to observe men in an intimate setting where few get to see them. The resulting piece, which recounts several months' worth of Paloma's shifts at Sheri's Ranch, is one of the most keenly observed stories I've ever read about how men view sex, and how profoundly sex affects them. Just as we were publishing it, an unexpected turn of events gave it new urgency: Paloma and her fellow courtesans voted to unionize, a first for a brothel in the U.S. I encourage you to read the story below. – Kevin Dupzyk, contributing editor |
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Men come to me for sex, yes. But in an age of profound loneliness and disconnection, they turn out to be looking for so much more. |
I had no idea how to land my first client. It was a random April Friday, karaoke night at Sheri's Ranch, a legal brothel in Nevada. I don't sing. Four of the ladies who worked there were professional singers, so I watched them take turns and picked at food with the other new girl. It was already my second shift. The first had been a bust.
One of the other ladies, Jules, a statuesque, voluptuous brunette, asked me to sing with her. I told her this would be only the third time I'd ever done karaoke. She didn't care. She wanted to show me that being seen was the first step to attracting a client. We duetted on "Cheri Cheri Lady," by Modern Talking. I was awful, but sure enough, within minutes of my being on display, one of the hostesses pulled me aside. She discreetly pointed across the spacious, dimly lit bar. Some elderly regulars hunched over drinks—Larry, who comes almost daily and never buys anything but an O'Doul's, is in his mid-eighties—and a few groups of younger patrons sat on large banquettes and couches. It took me a second to spot the guy she was singling out. "Paloma," she said. "That gentleman would like to speak to you." |
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Recently, our colleagues over at Esquire Japan visited renowned Osaka watch boutique Libertas to take a look at some extremely rare Rolex timepieces. Below, you'll find ten standout models that every serious Rollie fanatic should have on their wishlist. |
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We were just outside the entrance to San Siro stadium in Milan, a half hour before the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony was set to begin, packed like sardines and going nowhere. Amid this crush of nations—people there were Italian, French, Chinese, American, etc.—I found myself squeezed against Usher. Yes, that Usher! His bodyguards peeked nervously above the crowd, eyeing the exits. At least Usher seemed to be in good humor. Everyone else was deeply frustrated. What the hell was going on? Why couldn't we get into the stadium? Were we all going to die in a stampede?
The cause of the bottleneck began to ripple through the crowd … JD Vance. The vice president of the United States was entering the stadium and, allegedly, his security detail had shut down half the facility. I can't confirm this rumor about his security detail, but it—along with the chorus of boos that greeted Vance when he was shown on the screens during the Opening Ceremony—underscores a theme of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics: America the villain. And it has made these Games feel weirder than usual. |
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