Jeff Kober Says China Beach Taught Him the Emotional Responsibility of Acting

Jeff Kober’s role as Duke Ekins on HBO’s The Pitt has earned him his first Primetime Emmy nomination, but the actor says the foundation for his performance was built decades ago on China Beach.

Kober, 72, played Marine Staff Sgt. Evan “Dodger” Winslow on the ABC drama, which ran from 1988 to 1991. He says the experience taught him to be authentic and to decide how deeply he engages with difficult emotional material.

That lesson has stayed with him. China Beach explored the human cost of the Vietnam War, while The Pitt focuses on medical workers dealing with trauma in a busy emergency department.

Kober sees a connection between the two roles: both involve people who repeatedly witness suffering and carry an emotional burden because of it. He says that makes it important for actors to approach such stories with honesty and depth.

“I would trace” the connection from China Beach to The Pitt through “the emotional responsibility” of portraying people who face trauma, Kober says.