Sepideh Moafi has received her first Emmy nomination for portraying Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi in the medical series The Pitt, playing a determined physician who assumes temporary leadership of the emergency room. The nomination marks a milestone as Moafi becomes the first Iranian woman to receive this recognition. The character has generated strong audience connection through various dimensions of her identity, including her Iranian and Iraqi heritage, her management of a seizure disorder, and her navigation of professional dynamics within a male-dominated medical setting.

Moafi's own personal history directly influenced her approach to the role. Born in a refugee camp in Germany after her parents fled Iran before settling in the United States, she worked as an ambassador for the International Rescue Committee. These biographical elements were woven into the character's backstory, including overseas humanitarian medical work and experiences with trauma. Moafi highlighted the significance of portraying humanitarian aid workers in television, particularly given contemporary threats facing international relief organisations.