SPOILER ALERT: This interview accommodates spoilers from “With So Small to Be Specific Of,” the sixth episode of the ultimate season of ABC’s “Station 19.”

Boris Kodjoe is in a position to start his subsequent chapter. Considering the fact that wrapping manufacturing final month on the ultimate season of ABC’s venerable firefighter drama “Station 19,” the 51-year-old actor — who rose to fame inside the early aughts inside the Showtime drama “Soul Meals” — has set his sights on broadening his horizons.

Chief amongst them is operating added behind the digicam. Immediately after directing his spouse (and former “Soul Meals” costar) Nicole Ari Parker inside the Lifetime film “Protected Area,” Kodjoe expressed an curiosity in helming an episode of “Station 19,”  and his want was granted halfway by implies of the present’s final ten-episode run. It was the ideal coaching floor for Kodjoe, whose exacting nature earned him a certain nickname on set.

“They identified as me ‘Germanator,’ as a outcome of I knew precisely what I wanted and what I wished, and I raced by implies of the day,” Kodjoe, who’s of German and Ghanaian descent, tells Choice with amusing. “I obtained all people today residence by five o’clock, they ordinarily appreciated that, in order that was enjoyable.”

Shot more than eight and a half days, this week’s episode finds Chief Natasha Ross (Merle Dandridge) going toe-to-toe with Seattle mayor Robel Osman (Emerson Brooks) to stay away from wasting each and every firefighter Vic Hughes’ (Barrett Doss) job and Disaster A single, this technique primarily based by Vic’s late greatest superior pal, Dean Miller (Okieriete Onaodowan), to show firefighters to de-escalate tense calls with out police intervention. That contentious battle in between Chief Ross and Mayor Osman — whose private vendetta towards Station 19 has solely grown right after Vic publicly identified as him out at a press convention inside the earlier episode — is juxtaposed towards a collection of flashbacks. In these flashbacks, the viewers sees the evolution of a friendship that Vic strikes up with Morris (George Wyner), a homeless Vietnam Warfare veteran whom she met on a Disaster A single name.

As a consequence of her public outburst with the mayor, Vic is placed on probation and barred from serving to her squad reply to a hearth at Morris’ encampment. Immediately after her fellow firefighters break the data that Morris was killed inside the fireplace, Vic volunteers to run a debriefing session, all through which they concentrate on what went improper on a certain name. Shortly right after initiating that group dialogue, Vic — who has most probably endured possibly the most lack of any of the present’s most significant characters — lastly reaches her breaking level, feeling the compounded weight and grief of shedding not solely her superior pal but in addition this technique that she utilized to try to save him.

This episode “is about Vic coming to phrases with the truth that regardless of all the time caring for everyone else, it is OK to let your self fall. It is OK to be susceptible it is OK to not be sturdy. And that has been a incredibly lengthy time coming for her,” Kodjoe explains inside the interview beneath. “For these who take a appear at this final season, it is genuinely been from Episode 1 that she’s been producing an try to preserve it collectively, so it was a incredibly beautiful theme.”

By the prime of the episode, Chief Ross stops by Station 19 to ship some a lot-necessary fantastic news: Vic can preserve her job, and Disaster A single will dwell to battle 1 other day. Whereas taking a break from serving to his daughter, Sophie, transfer out of her college dorm for the summer season season, Kodjoe discusses his newest foray into directing, saying goodbye to the longest character he has ever performed and describes the sort of sports activities film that he hopes to make in the future.

You got the distinctive challenge of juxtaposing the present-day storyline with all of these tiny vignettes which may well be developed to point out the firefighters’ — and especially Vic’s — connection to Morris. What have been important challenges and issues that you just had in thoughts mainly because the director of this episode?

The VFX stuff is difficult, as a outcome of it is a need to to consider about how every single part’s going to appear, and primarily based mainly on that, you do not need to stage each and every single shot and block it. There’s loads of motion [in this episode], and we had a stunt, an explosion, so these have been most probably possibly the most detailed challenges I necessary to really place collectively for rigorously in order that I utilized to be ready for any wildcard that could merely look out of nowhere.

Apart from that, the tonality of the present was fascinating as a outcome of, such as you stated, we had vignettes that took us once again to the earlier. I wished to set the tone visually, but in addition make sure that we do not neglect about amongst the character traits that we knew from the earlier right after we return and do these flashbacks. For instance, Sullivan had come a superior distance from becoming this grumpy, authoritative, quasi-dictator that he was to begin with, so I wished to point out that he’s come complete circle by really diving into amongst the new character traits that now we have identified inside the final two years, and really displaying the juxtaposition in between him now and him then. And that goes for each and every single character on this episode we necessary to make sure that we really believed-about the arc that every single character went by implies of.

The emotional climax of this hour requires spot in the course of the debriefing scene contained in the firehouse. How did you system capturing that?

Initially, let me give somebody props who really wrote the you-know-what out of this episode, which is Rochelle Zimmerman, who was my companion-in-crime, who was there with me each and every step of the way in which. She helped me deal with our visitor star and make sure that each and every single theme really speaks to the tonality that we have been capturing for. Rochelle was really the driving drive behind this episode.

I’ve obtained to supply Barrett Doss props, as a outcome of she was the 1 who carried the whole episode, and he or she did extraordinary perform. She’s an unbelievable actress with so numerous many ranges, and I wished to really push her to supply herself permission to entry all of these subtleties that she possesses in her instrument. I wished to gradually get her to the brink of the sting, if you will, [but] I didn’t need to have her to leap. I wished her to let the viewers soar for her. She did an unbelievable job holding and combating her feelings, and we could really see that battle in that [debriefing] scene. Immediately after which the bunk scene quickly following the debrief was really about her getting into into a brand new chapter. It is almost like a resurrection for her when Travis tells her that it is OK to be the kid ordinarily, and I really feel that was a incredibly hugely helpful scene.

The two scenes that you just’re referring to the touch on the idea of becoming an person of colour — and, on this case, a Black lady — who’s typically anticipated to help and champion other people, even so does not all the time get the identical sort of care in return. It was considerably transferring to me to listen to Travis inform Vic privately that he’ll deal with her, that he would be the 1 to catch her when she falls. Did you give Barrett and Jay any certain course for the bunk space scene?

I’m glad that you just obtained that from that scene, as a outcome of that is what we have been capturing for. It was a lot much less directing them it was added about obtaining a dialog with them and providing them permission to find out all of these feelings that you just merely referred to. You are correct that it is about Vic coming to phrases with the truth that regardless of all the time caring for everyone else, it is OK to let your self fall. It is OK to be susceptible it is OK to not be sturdy. And that has been a incredibly lengthy time coming for her. For these who take a appear at this final season, it is genuinely been from episode 1 which she’s been producing an try to preserve it collectively, so it was a incredibly beautiful theme. If there’s 1 element that I shared with them, it was to seek out the enjoyment and the sunshine in that scene as a outcome of it is about resurrection reasonably than falling deeper.

On situation that the visible language of any present in its seventh season is currently so effectively-established, how a lot inventive freedom did you have got as a director? Do you have got a distinct model of course?

Personally, I consider in pacing, and I in addition consider in not overshooting, which implies ordinarily a lot much less is added. We’re so conversant in these characters that I do not have to carry the viewers’s hand. By generating these elaborate sort of introduction images, ordinarily you will be in a position to go correct smack dab in the midst of the motion or start on a closeup of a character that is so effectively-established with out displaying the surroundings that she or he is in, as a outcome of all people today is conscious of the present. So all people today is conscious of that as soon as you get really shut on a character who’s, let’s say, in mattress, that they’re inside the bunk space.

I took somewhat tiny bit of freedom and likewise the freedom of producing my incredibly personal visible language, as a outcome of I knew they weren’t going to have the capability to fireplace me. The present is more than, so I utilized to be like, “Hey, what are they going to do? Not use me as soon as additional?” So I utilized to be a lot much less involved with that. Nonetheless I in addition know the present and these characters incredibly effectively. I wished to be correct to that, and honor that whereas on the comparable time like somewhat tiny bit of my incredibly personal spice to it.

3 days into capturing the premiere, you identified that the seventh season of “Station 19” can be its final. Nonetheless mainly because the crew was currently prepping for the second episode, the writers really had solely eight episodes to wrap up any totally free ends. Are you pleased with the spot we depart Sullivan inside the finale?

It is really laborious to supply every single character a right sort of sendoff, if you will, as a outcome of there’s so numerous characters with so a couple of years of storylines, so numerous ups and downs. Immediately after I met with the writers about my character, I stated 1 element to them: “Look, guys, I genuinely like you, and I belief you.” They’ve identified this character in addition to I’ve identified him, and I really wished them to have the liberty and my self-confidence to ship him off how they see match.

Clearly, the really like story in between Sullivan and Ross is the key storyline in between them. It is about the spot they’re going to go collectively with that connection. Are they going to say goodbye to 1 one more, or are they going to take it a step added and take it to the subsequent stage? I’m really pleased with the writers, as a outcome of the way in which they wrapped that up was phenomenal in so some techniques, as a outcome of they really paid homage to their tradition, they ordinarily really created particular that we see amongst the ranges in between them that we hadn’t noticed earlier than. 

What do you imply by that? What cultural particulars resonated with you personally?

A single of numerous challenges that I utilized to be really joyful to see in between them was the enjoyment and the liberty to be who they’re and by no means obtaining to cover behind their shields and fake and be skilled on a standard basis, so I really loved this final season. I really loved Sullivan acquiring in make contact with collectively with his playful and joyful facet, and for people to see that as nicely. 

Sullivan is now engaged to Ross, who he met inside the army, even so there could be nonetheless a subset of followers who consider Sullivan ought to locate your self collectively with his ex-wife, Andy (Jaina Lee Ortiz). How would you distinction these two relationships?

Inside the very first half of the present, with Sullivan and Andy, I really feel these two got right here from really traumatizing situations of their former relationships, they ordinarily fell in really like whereas combating. There was loads of combating taking place in between them as a outcome of they hadn’t come to phrases with their certain individual pasts but. So even though the really like was sturdy, the infatuation was there, and the attraction was there, I really feel that we found them nonetheless inside the therapeutic course of. I really feel that is the key distinction in between his and Andy’s connection, right after which his with Ross. I really feel Sullivan and Ross found 1 one more as soon as additional right after obtaining spent loads of time therapeutic and coming to a spot the spot they’re really at peace with who they’re. So as soon as you are at that spot, I really feel it is a lot easier to be open and susceptible as a outcome of you have got healed. 

To the “Surrera” followers who’ve been flooding my DMs each and every single day for the earlier seven years, I want to say: I genuinely like you guys, and thanks for the really like and help you have established us, regardless of whether or not it is for “Surrera” or for Sullivan and Ross. I perceive that there’s lots of people today who’re upset as a outcome of they fell in really like with [Andy and Sullivan] incredibly early on inside the present. Nonetheless people create, they alter, they modify to their surroundings, they ordinarily drop 1 one more and find out 1 one more. So ordinarily, that is what happens. I hope that they’re not as well upset. I personally suppose that Sullivan and Ross found 1 one more on the fantastic second, and I really feel Andy in addition found her aim on the correct second as a outcome of her altering into captain was really what the present was about. And to witness that, to observe her and to help her by implies of all these trials and tribulations as she actions into her father’s footsteps, I really feel, can be a beautiful story. 

How would you say Robert has created inside the six seasons that you just’ve performed him?

I really feel the key half of the collection, Robert was offended and afraid, and he was compensating for amongst the trauma that he had skilled — shedding his spouse and going by implies of what he went by implies of [as an Army veteran]. And the second half of the present, I really feel he was capable of let go of a couple of of these ghosts and really step into his mild and his power and permit himself to be totally free and to like as soon as additional. It was enjoyable to play him constricted, even so it was a lot additional enjoyable to play him expanded, if you will. I really loved that.

Attempting once again, do you have got an episode or storyline that you are most pleased with?

I’m pleased with all of ’em, even so [“Get Up, Stand Up”; Season 4, Episode 12] caught out as a outcome of we have been capable of collaborate with [former showrunner] Krista Vernoff on the time. It was post-George Floyd, and we did an episode that really addressed amongst the social justice points that we have been going by implies of on the time as a rustic and as a planet. I utilized to be really honored and delighted to have the capability to give voice to a couple of of these feelings that I had on the time — and that is really 1 other signature of the present. We have been by no implies afraid to speak out, and to speak about present points that have been very important — to shine a lightweight on challenges which have been caught at the hours of darkness, to in addition uplift and supplies voice to communities that are not historically heard as a lot as they should really be. In order that is a testomony to the braveness of the showrunners, the producers, the writers, and the forged to make sure that we consistently raised the bar and caught to these guidelines.

You merely wrapped manufacturing on the collection finale on April 19. Did you get an chance to take any on-set mementos to commemorate your time on the present?

Are you alleging that I may well steal 1 point from set?

Confident!

Confident, I did. I took my helmet, and I in addition took my title plate that is on the once again of the turnouts.

Robert Sullivan is now the longest function you have got ever performed, so it should really genuinely really feel bittersweet to be closing such a important chapter of your profession. What are a couple of of your biggest takeaways from engaged on this present?

The important takeaway from the present, and the 1 element I’m eternally grateful for, is the relationships. I’ve created some good pals more than these earlier seven years, and I genuinely like these people like household, so I do not remorse a minute of it. Regardless that the cancellation comes as a shock to all of us — as a outcome of the present has been carrying out incredibly effectively, and it is been steady for years for [ABC] — I noticed that that is enterprise, and this enterprise is fleeting. It is incredibly, incredibly temperamental, so ordinarily, selections are created that you just could not perceive. 

To me, the significance of the present will most probably develop to be added apparent in five or ten and even 20 years, as a outcome of every single undertaking that I’ve been blessed to be aspect of has had a genuinely certain half in my life [and] performed a genuinely certain function on my journey, so I’m genuinely attempting ahead to discovering out what that aim or objective was [for being part of “Station 19”]. Nonetheless I’ve loved each and every single second on the set of enjoying this character. We, the forged, are actually obtaining a get-collectively subsequent week. So we’re staying in make contact with, we’re staying shut, which is de facto the biggest blessing. Basically, I’m incredibly excited to take this subsequent step and to enter this new chapter in my profession — performing, directing, generating, and generating numerous added great recollections alongside the way in which.

Have you ever offered a lot believed to what you will do subsequent?

Absolutely. I’m incredibly intentional about challenges that I want to do. I create down every single aspect that I’ve deliberate. I’ve an org chart. I visualize. I’ve tons of conversations. I’m in talks correct now about four entirely distinct tasks that I’m really serious about. So, confident, I’m incredibly excited to get on this subsequent journey, and I gained’t place any limitations on myself. I want to do possibilities. I want to do Television.

You are 1 of numerous couple of higher-profile actors I do know who genuinely grew up enjoying aggressive tennis — and also you even competed on the collegiate stage. Have you ever noticed “Challengers” but?

I’ve not noticed that film but. I’ll watch it, nonetheless. I’m incredibly curious to see it.

Adequately, I utilized to be going to ask you should really you had any concepts on the way in which that tennis was depicted inside the film. Nonetheless as an avid tennis fan myself, I really feel it is in addition no secret that this sport we each and every really like hasn’t precisely been depicted convincingly onscreen previously.

It all the time bothers me when sports activities films do not depict the game in a legit system. It merely drives me loopy. It requires me correct out of the film.

How so?

It is merely that as soon as you do not know [a sport], you do not know painting it appropriately. That is what it comes all the way down to. So even though you could need to have a advisor on board who is conscious of what they’re saying and carrying out, you are not the director, as a outcome of the director and the editor are going to make choices which may well be utterly disconnected from how the game is performed. I imply, ordinarily you see people starting the serving movement from the deuce facet they ordinarily locate your self inside the advert court docket. Or they’re hitting an system shot and taking the key 3 actions in path of the net, right after which the subsequent physique they’re on the baseline. I suppose most of the people today wouldn’t find out, even so I genuinely like the game. That is been my whole life, so I’m most probably somewhat bit added important.

I’m particular [“Challengers”] did a terrific job, and I genuinely like Zendaya. I’m an huge fan of hers. She’s a candy, candy lady. I’ve identified her for a incredibly lengthy time, so I’m particular she killed it as soon as additional.

Provided your pedigree and experience as each and every a tennis participant and an actor, I hope you get an chance to make a tennis film in the future.

I really feel there’s an Arthur Ashe film floating round someplace, so I may well really like to attempt this. [Tennis] has been my life ever given that I utilized to be tiny.

This interview has been edited and condensed.