Before ‘The Pitt,’ Taylor Dearden Was Unrecognizable in ‘Sweet/Vicious’

On The Pitt, Taylor Dearden plays Dr. Melissa “Mel” King, a second-year emergency-medicine resident at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Dr. Mel exudes empathy as she cares for patients, proving herself to be as kind as she is competent. Dearden’s past roles diverge significantly from her portrayal of Dr. Mel, especially Orphelia Mayer in Sweet/Vicious, a short-lived MTV series about two young college students who become vigilantes to fight back against campus sex offenders.

The physical differences between Ophelia and Dr. Mel are stark. The former’s green hair and sarcasm contrast with the latter’s more wholesome, optimistic persona. Despite this, there’s a kindness and concern for others that pervades both Ophelia and Dr. Mel.

Taylor Dearden Played Ophelia Mayer in ‘Sweet/Vicious’

Originally called Little Darlings, Sweet/Vicious premiered on MTV on November 15, 2016. The show focused on Jules Thomas (Eliza Bennett), a student and sorority sister at Darlington University, and Ophelia Mayer, a stoner trust-fund baby also at Darlington. After Jules is attacked and Ophelia comes to her rescue, they team up to combat sexual violence on campus.

Jules and Ophelia act as vigilantes and, through 10 episodes, expose a pornography and hazing scandal in the sorority, unmask several sexual offenders, and attempt to exact justice. Jules and Ophelia are polar opposites in many ways in demeanor and appearance, but they remain united in their goal to fight on behalf of women.

Low ratings doomed Sweet/Vicious, and the show was canceled after just one season. The 10-episode arc of the first season was intense and relevant, but as MTV said in 2017:

“We are extremely proud of this critically acclaimed series and are deeply disappointed such an impactful show did not find a larger audience. Sweet/Vicious was a show we loved from the start, with empowering female leads and a message we believe in. We are grateful the series started a much-needed dialogue around sexual assault.”

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Taylor Dearden Described Jules and Ophelia as Unlikely but Relatable “Superheroes”

The dichotomy between Jules and Ophelia in Sweet/Vicious was described by Ella Ceron in Teen Vogue, “Jules serves as the earnest rebel, who believes she’s serving a greater good. Ophelia is her wisecracking foil, who, despite her appearance, serves as something of a voice of reason. They aid and abet each other.”

Jules is a “sorority sister trying to cope with an assault that has understandably ripped the framework of her world apart,” while Ophelia operates as “a green-haired slacker whose skills include sarcasm and hacking.” This is why the duo is essentially unlikely superheroes who complement each other with endearing and compelling honesty.

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For Taylor Dearden, this heroic element was part of what appealed to her when she took the role of Ophelia. She explained to Nylon that it was, “a show about women written by women… It’s from a place of knowledge and sympathy and excitement, or the fight to do the right thing.”

In this way, Sweet/Vicious was timely but not exploitative and tapped into a universal experience for women. Jules and Ophelia were heroes in their story but as Dearden pointed out, “this is a cool thing that no one should do. And I hope that the intention is clear, that it’s a superhero story — we’re not stopping cars and lifting them up, but it’s a more realistic topic than superhero stuff is — so it does toe a line.”

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Taylor Dearden Sees Herself in Dr. Mel King From ‘The Pitt’

Dr. Melissa “Mel” King from The Pitt looks nothing like Ophelia from Sweet/Vicious and does not behave like her either. In contrast to Ophelia’s jaded and hard exterior, Dr. Mel is helpful and hopeful with an endearing vulnerability. Much like Dearden could relate to what Ophelia and Jules were experiencing and witnessing in Sweet/Vicious, the actress also had a personal connection to Dr. Mel.

Dr. Mel is also neurodivergent, something to which Dearden relates. She told Decider in February 2025,

“I’m neurodivergent so I think it’s really coming from me. I have severe ADHD. So we’re on the same spectrum now as autism, which was I think for all ADHD people was like, “Ohhhhh.” And then all autistic people are like, “That’s why we got along with them.” I’ve never really seen a character, especially with ADHD, but being on the same spectrum, it just feels, it felt right anyway.”