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All About Brilliant Minds' Dr. Dana Dang, "Anxious" Genius Who's "Big on TikTok"

Dr. Dana Dang is a brilliant intern who makes a habit of taking openly about her mental health — but she may be hiding a secret.

By Jill Sederstrom
Zachary Quinto Is Eccentric Dr. Wolf in NBC’s New Medical Drama Brilliant Minds | Official Trailer

Brilliant Minds’ Dr. Dana Dang may be committed to helping the patients who walk through the doors of Bronx General Hospital — but she also isn’t shy about her own mental health struggles. Although there may be something else she’s hiding.

How to Watch

Watch the series premiere of Brilliant Minds on Monday, September 23 at 10/9c on NBC.  

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Dana, portrayed in the new NBC series by Aury Krebs, is a “brilliant young doctor” on the new medical drama Brilliant Minds. And as she (and the audience) realize in the premiere episode, she's been assigned to work under the tutelage of Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto), an eccentric yet brilliant neurologist determined to help his patients — even if that means deploying some unconventional tactics along the way.

Who is Dr. Dana Dang on Brilliant Minds

Wolf’s tendency to sometimes color outside the lines doesn’t seem to bother Dana, who has her own unconventional views on life. 

In one of the pair’s first interactions, Dana is going through her own prescription medications in the backseat of the car and jokingly asks whether anyone wants to “split a clozapine,” a medication used to treat multiple mood disorders. 

“Good lord, God, yes please,” Wolf says from the driver’s seat before holding his hand back to accept the pill. 

Dana has made it clear she’s comfortable talking about her mental health, even telling her coworkers in the locker room she’d recently switched to a new mood stabilizer and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI.

“She’s a genius and she talks very openly about her anxiety,” Dana's fellow intern Dr. Ericka Kinney explained to Wolf in the season premiere. 

RELATED: Zachary Quinto Promises Brilliant Minds Has an Undeniable "Message of Hope"

Ericka added that Dana was also “big on TikTok.” 

But, it seems that Dana may not be as open about everything in her life. 

Dr Dana Dang leans on the lockers on Brilliant minds episode 101

“While Dana appears transparent about almost everything, she’s hiding a deeper truth and would rather pop a Xanax than work to resolve the root of her issues,” a character description hints.

Dana has also yet to really connect with Wolf by the end of the premiere episode. While the interns were trying to learn more about a difficult patient, she complained that her new boss had acknowledged her “zero times today.” 

“He’s a hot mess,” she lamented. 

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What Dana didn’t realize at the time was that Wolf suffers from face blindness, making it difficult for him to recognize his coworkers.

Wolf finally owns up to the condition in the final minutes of the premiere. But it’s too early to tell how Dana will react to the admission or whether it will help her craft a relationship with her new mentor. 

To find out more about the brilliant young doctor and what secret she may be hiding, watch Brilliant Minds Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.

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