Over the last decade, Jesse Williams has played the role of Dr. Jackson Avery on ABC’s hit medical drama series, Grey’s Anatomy . But what fans may not know, is that the actor occasionally steps behind the camera and into the role of director for the show. Most recently, he directed the first half of the show’s two-hour event with Station 19 , and he’s ready to dish on the jaw-dropping moments, according to a report from TV Guide .
During the episode, titled “What I Did for Love,” viewers watched Levi, played by Jake Borelli, meet a man in a local flower shop. He helps the man pick out a bouquet of flowers and the man exits the store. After Levi makes his own purchase, he steps out onto the sidewalk to find the man, who he later discovers to be Station 19’s Fire Chief, Luca Ripley, played by Brett Tucker.
The Grey Sloan team worked to stabilize the firefighter, but after a series of tests, Maggie, played by Kelly McCreary, learns that Ripley has been exposed to a toxic chemical that is comprising his already-weakened heart.
Elsewhere, Meredith, played by Ellen Pompeo, is faced with a decision that could cost her her career. While treating a little girl, she learns that the child’s family had been seeking asylum and they are currently uninsured. In a bold and unexpected move, she falsely puts her daughter Ellis on the insurance forms to offset the cost for the struggling family. Meredith’s courage allowed the girl to get the medical treatment she desperately needed, and it also inspired a declaration of love from her beau, DeLuca, played by Giacomo Gianniotti.
It was a big moment for the two characters, and as Williams recalled his conversations with his co-stars, he said he wanted to make sure Gianniotti conveyed the expression of love in the right way for the scene.
“One of the things me and Giacomo [Gianniotti] talked about is, are you telling her you love her or are you telling her that all you could think about was saying you love her? It’s kinda like saying you are a jerk or you’re acting like a jerk,” he explained. “So when this comes out of his mouth, he knows how it sounds. He knows he didn’t plan on saying it.”
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As for Williams’ own character, he said fans can expect Jackson and Maggie to continue exploring a new level of “amendment and frustration and decision making.” In a previous episode, Jackson asked Maggie to move in with him, but she’s slightly hesitant about the whole situation. Williams said it’s one thing to consider and talk about the idea of moving in together, but actually living together is a completely different situation.
“Without giving away too much, we’ll really get to see how that pressure [of being trapped in close quarters] could bust pipes. I think we also get an understanding,” he said.
Grey’s Anatomy airs on Thursdays on ABC.
