Jake McLaughlin stars as Michael Ormewood on ABC’s hit crime drama Will Trent. A veteran detective with the Atlanta Police Department, Ormewood is experienced, hot-tempered, and dedicated to his job. He is an integral part of the criminal investigation team led by Special Agent Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez).
However, behind his tough exterior and quick-witted action style, Michael Ormewood is also a character who has to deal with a series of psychological events, old traumas, and unforgivable mistakes from the past.
The Biggest Event: The Price of Impulsiveness
Michael Ormewood was once trusted by his superiors and worked with many talented agents. However, a behavior that got out of control landed him in trouble. In the first season of the series, Ormewood was involved in a questionable assault that nearly got him suspended. Despite being covered up by some of his colleagues, the incident left a stain on his record.
Ormewood’s impulsiveness often stemmed from pent-up anger, a direct result of the strained home life and trauma of war he had experienced before becoming a police officer.
Broken family and internal struggles
A little-known aspect of this character is his crumbling marriage. Ormewood had a small family but he could not maintain a balance between work and personal life. Absences from family meetings and indifference to his wife and children gradually caused him to lose his happiness.
In one special episode, viewers witnessed Ormewood’s mental breakdown when he discovered his wife was filing for divorce. It was a shock that left him disoriented, leading to a series of bad decisions in later investigations.
Complicated Relationship with Angie Polaski
The highlight of Jake McLaughlin’s character journey is his ambiguous relationship with Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen). Although the two were once colleagues and had ambiguous feelings, there was always a line of pain and hurt between them.
Ormewood was sometimes jealous when Angie was close to Will Trent, but he did not dare to cross the line to admit his feelings. This relationship both helped the character develop depth, but also made him immersed in internal conflict and conflict.
Internal Investigation: Can He Atone for His Mistakes?
In season 3 of Will Trent, Michael Ormewood became the focus of an internal investigation. He was suspected of manipulating evidence in a murder case involving a former colleague.
Although he always asserted his innocence, evidence showed that Ormewood was present at the scene before the forensic team arrived. With his shady past, he is facing the risk of being fired and prosecuted.
This incident is a major milestone, forcing Ormewood to reconsider every decision in his life, from the way he works as a police officer to the way he treats his family and colleagues.
Jake McLaughlin – From Marine to the small screen
In real life, Jake McLaughlin is a beloved actor not only because of his handsome appearance, but also because of his special past – he was a US Marine, fighting in Iraq before pursuing an acting career.
It was that experience that helped him breathe life into the character of Michael Ormewood, bringing authenticity, depth and intense emotions to the audience. Many viewers felt the pain, sacrifice and complex personality through his eyes and voice.
Michael Ormewood is not a perfect character – he is flawed, easily angered, and has many wounds. But it is the events in his life that make viewers sympathize with him more.
Can he overcome the darkness of his past to become a better person? Or will Ormewood continue to lose everything because of his own mistakes? The answer will gradually be revealed in the following seasons of Will Trent.
