Station 19 fans probably know Boris Kodjoe best as Robert Sullivan, the tough-but-tender firefighting hunk who, as of late at least, is stopping at nothing to make Chief Ross his one and only. But long before Kodjoe was putting out fires while making loins burn on Station 19, he was already a steady presence in Hollywood. Since the mid-’90s, when he was featured in TLC’s steamy “Red Light Special” video, followed by a string of roles in hits like Showtime’s Soul Food and the rom-com classic Brown Sugar, Kodjoe has maintained a 30-plus-year career in film and TV — one that is taking on a new direction as Station 19’s flame slowly smolders to an end.
Part of the S19 cast since season two, when Kodjoe established himself as the unfriendly hottie Captain Sullivan by eighty-sixing the team’s breakfast in favor of an impromptu inspection, Kodjoe has had his share of ups and downs as Sullivan, to be sure. Sullivan has faced opioid addiction, a string of failed relationships, and the painful demotion that led him back to becoming a rank-and-file firefighter. Kodjoe has indeed done a lot on Station 19, but now, he’s doing something he hasn’t done yet on the series: direct.
“I was super-excited,” he tells Shondaland. “It was a great time to be able to work with the people who I’ve been with for six years. I see directing almost like being an athlete; you’re sort of getting your team together as a coach and empowering people to do what they’ve been doing for a long time. So, it’s really just about painting the picture for everybody where you want to go and then letting them loose, because they all know what to do.”
Kodjoe helmed episode six, “With So Little to Be Sure Of,” which delves into how Crisis One has changed the team and the community at large, and pries into the consequences of Ben hiding that secret from Bailey.
“The script was great because it was more character-driven,” he says. “It allowed me to really get into some of the characters that I’ve known so long.”
Though the episode marks his first time directing for Station 19, it’s hardly his first time ever. (As with his colleague Stefania Spampinato, who directed an episode earlier this season, some previous experience was a requirement for getting behind the camera.) Kodjoe has directed what he’s called “little things here and there,” including a show in South Africa and the 2022 film Safe Room, starring his real-life wife, Nicole Ari Parker. That he would step into the director’s role shouldn’t be surprising, though, given his decades of experience on sets and the fierce dedication the college tennis champ and polyglot (his native tongue is German, but he also speaks French, Italian, and Spanish) applies to everything he does.
“When I first started 25 years ago,” he says, speaking of Soul Food, “I went to set every day because I wanted to learn everybody’s job. When I wasn’t shooting as an actor, I would be on set hanging out with the director and the gaffers, learning what it took to put this show together. It was something that was sort of an organic progression.” So, although he hadn’t led a big-budget show like Station 19 before, he more or less knew what to do. “I focus a lot on preparation. When I walk on set, I know exactly what I want, and I know exactly what I need for the cut. I have the cut in my head while I’m directing, and that allows me to be really fast and intentional. And it also allows me to communicate that to the crew and have them all in the same direction. Now, it’s come full circle, and I’m prepared for anything, which is very exciting.”
Of course, his first directorial at bat on Station 19 is also his last, given that the show has only a few more episodes left. Yet, thanks to this experience, he’s not only ready for the next big turn running a show but also says he looks on this time fondly — another epoch in a tenured career he’s been fortunate to have.
“It’s bittersweet,” he says. “On the one hand, I’m excited because I get to do new things, tackle new adventures.” Station 19’s conclusion coincides with his two kids going away to college, which affords him and his wife the chance to explore freedoms they couldn’t before. “We get to do movies and other projects; she wants to do theater again. On the other hand, it’s relationships that come to an end. And that’s the hard part. Not going to this familiar place and seeing familiar faces that give you support, comfort, inspiration, and stimulation. But it’s sweeter than bitter because now we can spread our wings and do other things. And hopefully, we’ll be working [with Station 19 colleagues] again in the future.”
