Ned Brower brought his own spin to his character on The Pitt!

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the actor/musician, who is also the only series regular trained as a medical professional, opens up about why he gave his onscreen alter-ego Jesse Van Horn a nose ring.

“For me, I wanted to bring this punk-rock type of nurse that often ends up in the ER,” Brower, 46, tells PEOPLE. That involved a nose ring and perhaps a few tattoos.

However, one of the executive producers, John Wells, questioned whether nurses would actually be “allowed” to wear them in the ER.

“I was like, ‘In the ER, 100 percent,’” he says. “I mean, there’s people with tattoos, there’s people with nose rings. This is part of the ER culture of the 21st century.”

Taking on the role of Jesse, allowed Brower — who is an ER nurse — to bring “real experience” to the show.

Still, he wanted to “create a little bit of a character with some color,”

“I was able to bring a specific kind of ER nurse archetype to the part,” explains Brower. “It’s a small part, but that’s the point of the show. It’s this whole fabric of all these different people working together in a team, just like a real emergency department.”

Ultimately, it was “fun” for Brower to add dimensions to Jesse.

In his personal life, Brower also has an edge to him.

Not only is he the former drummer of the indie band Rooney (they broke up in 2012), but he and former bandmate Taylor Locke, the lead guitar player of Train, started their own Fleetwood Mac Rumours tribute show.

It may have started as a “fun” hobby, but it’s now a business for them.

During the shows, Brower cosplays Mick Fleetwood.

“It’s really tongue in cheek, but super fun,” he says.

When he’s not acting, playing in his tribute band or picking up ER shifts on weekends, he leads Marc Maron’s band and makes music for his stand-up specials.

Brower’s dual identity as a real-world healer and an indie-rock veteran has made him the unofficial “authenticity consultant” on the Pittsburgh set. His insistence on the “punk-rock nurse” aesthetic—nose ring and all—resonates with a Season 2 storyline that delves into the burnout and counter-culture identities often found in high-stress municipal hospitals. As The Pitt continues its record-breaking run on HBO Max through 2026, Brower’s Jesse Van Horn has evolved from a background “archetype” into a fan-favorite symbol of the modern medical frontline. Between filming 15-hour fictional shifts and performing high-energy Mick Fleetwood tributes, Brower proves that the “fabric” of the ER is woven with individuals who refuse to leave their artistic edge at the hospital doors.