The Pitt's Shabana Azeez On Javadi's Season 2 Crossroads — And The Pressure From Her Mother

Med student Victoria Javadi enters "The Pitt" Season 2 in a different headspace. Ten months after Pittfest, she's back in the ED — more confident, more capable, and seemingly surer of her footing on the floor.

But she still has her mother in her ear.

Dr. Eileen Shamsi is less suggesting than insisting that her daughter — just days shy of turning 21 — is wasting her potential in emergency medicine and should be pursuing a career in surgery.

As Shabana Azeez previously shared with TVLine, the source of Javadi's growing confidence will be explored this season. But in Episode 1, that progress is potentially hindered by her mother's expectations. When I asked Azeez whether Javadi feels any pull toward what her mom wants, or whether she's beginning to recognize that her own path may look different, she didn't hesitate.

"I think she's very, very unsure about what she wants to do with her life," Azeez says, explaining that confidence on the floor doesn't necessarily translate to clarity about the future. "[She] feels a lot of pressure — and the places she's getting pressure from grow throughout the shift."

And what begins as a familiar dynamic between mother and daughter only intensifies as the day unfolds.

Warrick Page/HBO Max

"I don't think you can choose to live a life somebody else wants for you," Azeez argues. "I think it's a dangerous game to play. Ultimately, you've got to wake up with yourself and do your life every day."

She's careful, however, not to treat Javadi's dilemma as a simple matter of choice.

"I think it's a really common thing for children of migrants to feel that pressure," she explains. "Your parents sacrificed so much to be here — to give you safety — and gave up their own cultural backgrounds and safe spaces to move to a foreign place and build a life that ultimately serves you more than it serves them. That pressure is really common, and it makes sense — but I hope she finds a way to have a relationship with her mom and be her own person."

This article is one of five post mortems examining "The Pitt" Season 2 premiere. Each one looks at a different character or turning point from Episode 1. Here's your complete reading list:

1. "The Pitt" Season 2 Premiere: How Robby's Entrance Sets The Tone For July 4 Shift
2. "The Pitt" Season 2 Premiere: Why Did Dr. Al-Hashimi Freeze? Sepideh Moafi Teases The Truth
3. "The Pitt" Season 2 Premiere Hides A Big Santos/Garcia Reveal In Plain Sight — Isa Briones Explains
4. "The Pitt" Season 2 Premiere: Patrick Ball On The Significance Of Langdon's First Patient Back In Season 2 Premiere