Posted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: pulse

Pulse: Ash Santos on Living Her Medical Drama Dreams, Zoe Robyn & More

Ash Santos (Mayor of Kingstown) spoke with Bleeding Cool about her Netflix medical drama Pulse, Zoe Robyn, EMT training, and much more.

Ash Santos is one of the hardest-working actresses in Hollywood with a decade of experience under her belt, landing some big roles, including FX's American Horror Story, Netflix's True Story, and Paramount+'s Mayor of Kingstown. Her latest fulfills a dream of hers in her acting bucket list, a medical drama in Netflix's Pulse from Carlton Cuse and Zoe Robyn, which follows the personal and professional lives of emergency and surgical residents at Maguire Hospital, a level-one trauma center in Miami. Santos plays Nia Washington, an EMT who is injured in the hurricane during the series. The actress spoke to Bleeding Cool about working with creator Robyn, prepping for the life of an EMT, how much she's like Nia, and chemistry with Jack Bannon, who Nia develops feelings for.

Pulse Star Ash Santos on Creator Zoe Robyn, Crash Course Lesson as EMT, and Jack Bannon

Bleeding Cool: What intrigued you about 'Pulse '?

I've always loved the medical drama, ever since I was a little girl. I first fell in love with 'ER' and 'Grey's Anatomy.' I was instantly intrigued when I learned it was a medical trauma. When I started reading the script, I loved how fresh the writing was, especially the way that Zoe approaches female characters. From that point on, I wanted to be a part of the project.

How would you describe Zoe as a creative and her process?

I have so much respect for Zoe Robyn and just the way she built this world. She comes from Vancouver, and for her to have always wanted it to take place in Miami because she was so intrigued by the hodgepodge of culture and diversity that Miami offers. She's also unafraid to tackle such hard topics like sexual harassment, how females versus males are perceived in the workplace, and how they're judged. I have so much respect for the way that she works and the world she built.

Did you do any research to play Nia and her role as an EMT?

I spoke with a paramedic who had been in the field for about 10 years now, picking their brain, understanding what it requires, and how difficult it is. Once I got to set, we went through this EMT crash course. The physicality was probably the most challenging part, on top of knowing the medical jargon, it was being able to do all the things with your hands like in a fluid way so it would be believable, and so that you weren't thinking about it on the day, and it would just feel natural. That was the work I had done.

How would you compare the experience of filming The Pulse?' You said you always wanted to do a medical drama. What challenges did it present as an actor that you wouldn't normally do?

I didn't realize, so as not to give away any spoilers, but a lot of my scenes take place in a hospital bed. I assumed that meant it would be like an easy day at work, because you'd get to lie in bed and get paid for it. Unfortunately, I found it was a lot harder because I felt so restrained. I learned how to still evoke all that emotion while not being able to use my body or use the room. It was a great challenge and a great way to grow.

Do you share any characteristics with Nia?

I find that I'm oddly very similar to Nia. That was the beauty of the way they cast the show. Everyone is so similar to their character. There was one point where Zoe approached me on set, and I was like, "Oh no, this is how I speak." How Nia speaks to men is how I speak to men. It was such a fun, refreshing role for me, because it didn't feel like I was fully stepping into something else. It felt like I was playing an extension of myself, and I enjoyed that.

Could you break down your chemistry and scene work with Jack?

That was probably the easiest part of the whole thing. He could probably have chemistry with a wall [laughs]. I felt lucky to have him as my scene partner. He's incredibly giving and so present. We would constantly check in with each other and make sure that we each had what we needed. It was so refreshing to be able to… you naturally get nervous when you get a role like this. You're like, "Oh my God! What if we don't get along and we must work together for months?" Thankfully, that was not the case, and it was the easiest part of the whole thing.

Pulse, which also stars Willa Fitzgerald, Colin Woodell, Justina Machado, Jessie T. Usher, Daniela Nieves, Chelsea Muirhead, and Jessy Yates, is available on Netflix.

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