Emmy-winning actor Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride, Homeland) has joined the cast of NBC’s medical drama, Brilliant Minds, also known as the title Dr. Wolf. The series, which stars Zachary Quinto (Heroes, Star Trek), has cast Patinkin in a recurring role, as well as Steve Howey and André De Shields as guest stars, showrunner Michael Grassi announced on Sunday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Pasadena.
Both Howey and Patinkin will star in two episodes.
Patinkin will play an esteemed family doctor who joins the staff of Bronx General Hospital and brings his own “unconventional methods to the workplace.
His affinity for house calls and long-standing patient relationships wins the respect of our lead, Dr. Wolf, and fosters a mentor-like relationship between the two men.” According to Grassi, he “really shakes up our world.”
Howey portrays a “rugged motorcycle mechanic” who comes to Dr. Wolf looking for help with a gunshot wound and is “forced to make a heartbreaking decision.” De Shields plays “an Alzheimer’s patient in an end-of-life care facility,” who Dr. Wolf helps to reconnect with his family.
The show follows the work of Dr. Oliver Wolf, a larger-than-life neurologist. The lead character is inspired by Dr. Oliver Wolf Sacks, the British neurologist and naturalist; many of his studies were chronicled in his non-fiction books, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars.
The best-known adaptation of Dr. Sacks’ novels was Awakenings, the Oscar-nominated film that starred Robin Williams as Dr. Malcolm Sayer.
Brilliant Minds also stars Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Teddy Sears and Donna Murphy, and it is set to premiere on Monday, September 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
via: Variety
