CHICAGO MED: Sharif Atkins Previews His Heartbreaking Guest Spot—and Tense Dynamic with Dr. Frost

CHICAGO MED’s new pediatrician Dr. Frost (Darren Barnet) makes big waves on the Wednesday, October 2 episode, “Bite Your Tongue,” when he and a patient’s parents don’t see eye-to-eye.

“Dr. Frost is a pediatrician who is very dedicated to working with children; he feels very strongly that children need to be protected, that a doctor needs to be honest with children,” MED showrunner Allen MacDonald tells Give Me My Remote. “Even if they’re younger, they should know what’s really going on with their bodies and be involved in decisions that are made to treat whatever that condition is.”

“There’s a story like that in episode 2, and he’s very protective of the child, and is honest with them in a way that upsets his parents,” he continues. “He doesn’t think parents are doing kids any favors by not being honest with them, even if their goal is to try to protect the child and their feelings. There’s a reason why Dr. Frost is so protective of children that I don’t even think he’s that conscious of: Like a lot of people, he had a bumpy childhood, and he has cut ties with his parents because they did not protect him. And so he had to cut himself off from them, put himself through medical school, decide to become a pediatrician, and build a life for himself without the help of the family.”

At the center of the case are Joe Thomas (played by guest star Sharif Atkins) and Gina Thomas (Crystal Lee Brown), who are trying their best to protect their son, Max (Kevin Chacon). 

Here, Atkins talks with GMMR about stepping into the CHICAGO MED world—and that tense new promo for the hour.

You’ve played a lot of different characters over the past few decades, but arguably one of your most beloved was Gallant in ER. When you’ve guest starred on a medical show in the years since then, what is your approach given your history within that genre? 
It’s always interesting being on the other side of the clipboard, right? [This is] coming in as the character in need of help, or in need of service. And so there’s a little difference in that. 

But I will say, being on the set, it did bring back a lot of memories. Brought back a lot of memories, just in terms of the environment, in terms of how they how some of the spaces are [laid out], and what have you. But it’s great to be back in this sort of medical space, for sure. Great to be back.

How much of the medical jargon has stuck with you throughout the years?
Oh, it has slowly, slowly just dripped away. [Laughs.] It’s there strong [at the time]…and when you’re steeped in it, on a weekly basis, when you are ingesting it and spitting it back out, it’s sharp, and you feel like maybe you could do a couple of things if it came to it. [Now], maybe a splinter, I can help you with that. Outside of that, I don’t know.

Looking at your guest spot on CHICAGO MED, how did that come about?
It was great. I had an opportunity to audition for it. The audition felt good. And when I got the call, I did the fist pump. I was just really excited about the opportunity. They wrote a great storyline for the character. It’s very, very profound, very impactful, grounded in, unfortunately, the realities that a lot of people experience.

What can you share about Joe and what brings him to the hospital?
I play the role of Joe Thomas and my wife and I—played by Crystal Lee Brown—go in thinking that we are going to deal with a minor medical issue that our son has. He’s a big sports kid, and we’re just thinking maybe [it’s] some bruised rib cages or something of that nature. And we find out that his cancer has come back. And it’s a double heartbreak. One, the fact that it’s come back, but two, because we thought we had beat it, and so that really is the crux of why we’re in the hospital. 

We have an encounter with one of the doctors, Dr. Frost, played by Darren Barnet. It ends up being the thing about who has the best interest of the patient. In this instance, the patient is my son. My wife and I want to do our best to make sure that he can keep his hopes up and that he can just look forward to a great life. And Dr. Frost is kind of another mindset in light of the information he believes that our son should have in terms of making a decision.

What can you tease about the tension there? In the promo for the hour, Joe is throwing a punch at Dr. Frost…
It’s actually a great teaser. I was like, wow, okay, that’s pretty nice. But I think what it is, when someone crosses a line with you in that heightened emotional state and place, anything can happen. And [for] Joe Thomas and his wife, Gina, they walk into that hospital wanting to do everything they can to protect the love of their lives, their son. S when someone, they feel, is stepping in and undermining that, then things get heated. 

Outside of Darren, what other CHICAGO MED actors did you get to work with?
I got a chance to work with John Earl Jelks; he plays the character of Dr. Dennis Washington on the show. It was really, really great working with him, just because we had known each other for a while. 

I was in Chicago a couple of years ago and did the character of Citizen Barlow in August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean” at the Goodman Theatre—and he originated that character. So it was just really cool to be in a scene with him, knowing that we crossed some of the same territory. And he’s a great actor. It was really great to work with him. And quite frankly, honestly, everybody that I dealt with in the scenes, were really a pleasure to work with.

Oh, that’s a lovely full-circle moment.
Oh, big time.

Outside of that, what was your favorite part of filming this guest spot?
Listen, I’m an actor-actor. And most actors, they like the drama. They like to experience something over the course of their time being creative with other creatives. And the meat of the storyline was fun to play with. 

They had a really nice backstory with the issue that they’re coming in [for], with the cancer having been resurfaced. That’s part of my baggage when I come in, right? And then to get the news that, oh, it’s come back—now I have a wealth of history that I’ve crafted and created…we were certain that we beat it. We were certain that it was behind us. And so just being able to play that is enjoyable. 

And, you know, listen—being able to swing on Dr. Frost!

Which may be deserved, with all due respect to him.
It’s one of those shows, it’s one of those moments, where you will be on one side or the other. They wrote it well in that you’ll either be Team Frost or you’ll be Team Thomas. I’m not sure which one, but…

Is there room for you to return or is this storyline done?
Listen, I believe that the writers and showrunner are extremely creative. And if they really wanted Joe Thomas back, I know they can figure out a way that it makes sense in the world. So we’ll wait and see.

Outside of MED, one of your other projects has been in the news a lot lately. What are your thoughts about WHITE COLLAR possibly being revived? 
I’m excited. I’m excited about the prospect of coming back. You know, I’ve kept in touch with [showrunner] Jeff Eastin a bit. Listen, it was a great show. It [was] a great five years, great six seasons. And to revisit it with almost the entire cast intact—rest in peace, Willie Garson—would be an amazing feat. 

I think it would be fun. I think our fans would absolutely love to see what Neal Caffrey is up to. And to see what the team is doing to keep him from taking over the world. [Laughs.]

CHICAGO MED, Wednesdays, 8/7c, NBC

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