Will Trent's Iantha Richardson Talks Directing Ormewood's Death Row Race — And What Lies Ahead For Faith

Iantha Richardson wore two hats during production on Tuesday's "Will Trent" — actor and director.

Richardson stepped behind the camera for Season 4, Episode 9, helming one of the ABC drama's most emotionally charged hours to date, as Detective Michael Ormewood raced to save a man he once arrested — falsely convicted of murder — from execution. On the other end of the spectrum, Will and Ava's lunch date devolved into a mad dash to retrieve a stolen jewel hidden inside an urn believed to contain the ashes of rock-and-roll legend Meat Loaf (yes, really). Along the way, the duo stumbled into a silent disco — a sprawling set piece that proved among the episode's most intricate sequences for Richardson to stage.

The hour also introduced a potential love interest for Ormewood in Joanne Drexel — prompting us to ask Ormewood's roommate what she makes of him getting back out there, and to address the speculation surrounding their own dynamic.

TVLINE | By Season 4, you really know the rhythms of the show and your fellow actors. How did that familiarity shape the way you approached directing?
It helped so much. I still did my due diligence in asking how people like to work because as a fellow actor I would like to be asked that. I can observe some things, but it's great to hear it from the horse's mouth. But I think overall I understand the characters so well because I've been here since the beginning. Not only that, but the support of the crew that I had — the higher-ups, the producers — everyone was just so gracious, and I feel like that only amplified what I was able to do.

TVLINE | The Faith and Ormewood friendship has evolved a lot over the past season and a half. This is a huge Ormewood episode, emotionally. What was it like directing Jake McLaughlin through that — and did it help having that foundation of trust already built between you?
Yeah, he was so open. It was lovely because you never know how an actor will take a character-driven story that's theirs — or what they feel, what they don't feel. But he immediately was so receptive to the script as soon as he got it and was excited. He had things he wanted to do, how he wanted to put his flair on it. And I think us developing a rapport over the past few seasons, especially with our characters getting so close, only helped the trust between us.

There were times where I could be like, "No, let it go," when people would have notes or want to switch things. I'm like, "I know my castmate, let's just give it a minute." Knowing that gave me such an edge that I'm so grateful for. And emotionally, you haven't seen that [performance] from him before. I was beautifully surprised in so many ways and really grateful for the dedication he put into it.

TVLINE | We get that flashback of Ormewood apprehending George Long. We've seen our share of foot chases on this show. What felt important to you about this one?
I wanted it to feel like somebody is chasing this man, not that he's running, if that makes sense. There's a difference between somebody running from someone and someone genuinely being chased, and I think we were able to execute that to the best of our ability. They may not have been running from somebody, but somebody was coming after them, so they had no choice. And I think everybody has their point of view. People think they're right, and sometimes it's just out of ignorance, which is shown in this. They think they're right for whatever reason and they can't get out of it unless they're taught. I think this was a beautiful lesson of opening yourself up to be able to learn so that you can grow and just be a better human being.

TVLINE | You linger on Ormewood praying before the decision comes down. What were you hoping the audience would take from that beat?
His compassion. His fear. Him having his hands on another life in a wrongful way. I wanted people to see the culmination of his entire life coming down on him. It's not just this case — it's probably other cases — and "this is the one that I can fix. This is the boy that might die because of me." That is a lot to hold on somebody's shoulders.

TVLINE | This episode swings between the emotional weight of Ormewood's arc and the lighter Will and Ava storyline. As a director, what did you find most rewarding about navigating those shifts?
I am a Gemini, and if people believe in signs, I feel like I do hold both sides of the spectrum really well. I can have a lot of levity and a lot of depth simultaneously. 

They were able to stand as standalone stories side by side, which is life. We can have the most joyous moments and then have the world go down in flames.

Block shooting helped. Most of the time it was like an entire day in one world and an entire day in another world. In my brain I'm like, "OK, this day we're doing the rom-com, and the other day we're working with really beautiful performances." Seeing someone hit the note in terms of sadness or happiness — it all brings me joy.

TVLINE | The silent disco is such a unique set piece. What did it require from you, technically and creatively, as a director?
It was fun. It all rang as a dance in my head. Trying to figure out the choreography of how we're going to do this dance — what it's going to look like, how we're going to sequentially shoot it, camera setups.... It was definitely the biggest in terms of people and setups. Coming into that space with a very clear and solid plan was extremely helpful.

One of the most daunting parts was that our showrunner Liz [Heldens] loved the song that plays at the end, so she was, like, "When is it going to come in? How are you going to do that?" So I had to figure out verbatim what part of the song goes to which beat so we could have it playing for everybody in their headphones. It's a trip.

TVLINE | The relationship with Luke fizzled almost as soon as it began a couple seasons back, and then this year we had Malcolm. Where do you think Faith is emotionally right now? Does she actually want love at this point, or is she still processing how things ended with Malcolm?
She's definitely processing, but I don't think it's deterred her. I think she's just like, "OK, I made a mistake. This happens." She's so logical. She's aware of the rose-colored glasses that were on and slowly untinting as she moves through life and processes everything. I think she's open to what's next and what's new at all times.

She's a single mom, but she is an empty nester. She's so young. I don't believe for one second she wants to be single the rest of her life. She has a lot of life to live. I think she's processing and getting over this one, but my hope for her is to find true, steady love.

TVLINE | There's been speculation about whether the roommate dynamic with Ormewood could ever turn into something more. From your perspective, is there something there?
I don't think so. Not for Faith. I think there's something really dope about her being able to hold both him and Will as platonic men in her life. There's something really dope to show about how you can care about somebody without there being romance.

Especially after Malcolm, I don't think that's on her radar. I think she's so entrenched in what she's entrenched in. But there's still value there and a camaraderie that she really values.

TVLINE | This week's episode is clearly setting up Joanne Drexel (played by Ilfenesh Hadera) as a potential love interest for Ormewood — the first since his divorce. What does Faith make of Ormewood getting back out there?
As she's observing things, she's genuinely observing as a mother who has dated. There's an awareness of what he's navigating right now — being single with kids and trying to figure it out — so she's giving a lending hand in the graceful way that she does in that department. 

She's happy for him. She pokes the bear sometimes because how can you not? It's your buddy stepping back into dating. But I don't feel like she's focusing on it too hard. The camaraderie between them shows in their chemistry and their dynamic. She is happy for him and looking out for him just like he and Will look out for her.

TVLINE | As we head into the back half of the season, what should we be watching for when it comes to Faith?
Episode 15 is really, really cool. I won't say fun, but there's a really cool storyline with her and the way that she looks at work now, and how she may be invigorated for her job once again. She's had a lot of knockdowns when it comes to not only romance but work, but she gets excited about it in a very purposeful way that I'm excited for people to see.

What did you think of "Will Trent" Season 4, Episode 9: "It Was a Meat Cute"? Drop your thoughts in a comment below.