Grey Damon on Jack’s Resilience Through Devastation, Station 19’s Devoted Fandom & Its Lasting Legacy

Station 19 is aware of the right way to convey the laughs and the tears.

It is why this sequence continues to resonate with its huge viewers, and Staton 19 Season 7 Episode 2 was no exception, because it delivered an action-packed, heartwarming, and heartrending episode all of sudden.

On the forefront of that hour was studying that Jack Gibson would now not be combating fires, his CTE stopping him from persevering with with a job he deems his true function with the individuals he considers his household.

The devastating information led to some genuinely emotional scenes, with viewers reaching for the Kleenex.

TV Fanatic had the privilege of chatting with the extremely humble, gifted, and sort Gray Damon about Jack’s prognosis, the impression the character and sequence have had on their devoted followers, and the legacy he hopes the sequence will depart behind.

Take a look at the dialogue under!

The episode featured two wakes, and but Jack’s storyline in some way finally ends up being probably the most devastating one among all.

Oh, what a shock.

I do know! I discussed final time that you simply’re just like the kicked pet of the sequence.

I am strolling Murphy’s Legislation!

What are you able to share about how Jack is processing the information of his profession primarily ending? What was your response to this storyline?

My response is as a result of he’s strolling Murphy’s Legislation, I am not shocked by something anymore.

However for Jack, in addition to Pru and the clinic, this was his final sense of getting a calling.

It is devastating. Being a firefighter was an important, constant factor in his life, ?

Will Jack be at Station 19 in any capability anymore? Does that imply no clinic obligation, operating the entrance desk, or Disaster One?

He cannot do something like Disaster One. I do not see him as a lot of a desk man, however I hope he is allowed to a minimum of hold working with the clinic as a result of it is all he has left of Dean, as he says.

However I am unable to say. This was a lot of his id and function.

However that is type of the purpose, displaying that you do not do a job like this except you are a specific sort of individual and since you adore it. However what’s subsequent is as much as the writers. We’ll see.

Piggybacking on that, you gave such a nuanced portrayal of Jack as this man who looks like he misplaced his function. You captured that nicely.

Thanks.

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How tough was it so that you can seize his vulnerability and resilience? That got here throughout very well. It is such a difficult scenario.

With performing, typically you do not really feel such as you’re, you are getting there. After which it might nonetheless come throughout as you mentioned it did, which is a really beautiful factor to say. Thanks.

I attempt to put myself in a psychological place of, of, , how would, how would, how would anybody have the ability to deal with that? How does one deal with a minimum of probably the most necessary issues of their life getting taken away from them in a really definitive approach?

Yeah. It looks like a well-known form of place for Jack to be. I am a Jack fan, so I used to be devastated by this. I perceive the storyline and what they might discover, but it surely harm my coronary heart.

Yeah. That was necessary for them to discover. It did make sense to have it occur to Jack in some unusual approach. This a actuality for some firefighters due to the job. It is unhappy, but it surely’s an enormous a part of it. The present is adamant about displaying the hardships of this noble job.

I appreciated the callback on this episode; I name it the pet pile-up, the cuddle huddle with the group at any time when one thing occurs to one among them.

Will we see Jack pulling away from his Station 19 household or leaning into him a bit extra?

It is in all probability a little bit of each. After all, he would not need to depart; that’s his household, and they’re going to all the time be his household. However I am unable to say; I have never seen that from the writers but. However I think it is going to ultimately quantity to him needing to search out one other function that is not part of this.

He is resilient, as you mentioned.

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He is probably the most resilient on this present, which is saying lots.

I do not know; there are some toughies on there.

Andy’s response was probably the most emotional. She talked about how she all the time envisioned Jack proper beside her. I am to see how she navigates this with out Jack there.

I believe she took it for him as nicely. These two lean on one another greater than they notice, and he or she was feeling what he have to be going via, too.

Can we speak about an exquisite expertise that Jaina is? As a result of she all the time brings it. She all the time exhibits the entire nuances in a profound and chic approach.

You guys have a profoundly gifted forged. It is a part of what makes the cancellation so heartbreaking. I am sorry to see the sequence go.

Yeah. It type of makes it treasured, too, although, realizing that one thing has to finish, and, in a approach, that is stunning.

I additionally coated Good Bother, so I felt terrible for Peter Web page getting a double whammy on the identical day.

Proper? He is a robust one. You need to speak about resilience and toughness? That is Peter Paige, for positive.

You guys have a passionate, devoted fan base, they usually’re decided to avoid wasting this sequence. Have you ever been following their efforts? What message do you’ve got for them?

Oh, after all! I could not miss it. They actually truly obtained a airplane dragging a banner that mentioned, “Save Station 19.” I do not assume I can miss it!

It is actually cool. I would by no means been part of something that had such a fan base like this. I’m positive it is on the market, however I have never seen that elsewhere. I really feel honored to be part of one thing like this that has had such an impression and has a lot pedigree to have that impression. It is fairly unbelievable.

What has been probably the most rewarding a part of portraying a personality like Jack Gibson for thus lengthy?

Primarily simply chatting with the followers. It is listening to concerning the present connecting with sure individuals, listening to the similarities between them and Jack, or seeing one thing on display screen that in addition they have gone via or are going via.

Generally, foster youngsters will hit me up on the socials or the Deaf group. Hats off to the showrunners as a result of they’ve been very open to my concepts being part of the present.

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As soon as they discovered I had a deaf mom and I advised that possibly not directly we might incorporate that, they did so in an enormous approach. It was actually stunning.

They usually’re all the time adamant about casting individuals who have gone via this stuff or perceive it from an actual perspective, not simply an actor’s perspective. People who find themselves autistic, people who find themselves deaf. It is so commendable.

I agree. I imagine actors depart a little bit of themselves of their characters and vice versa. What classes have you ever realized from taking part in Jack that you will in all probability carry with you?

I’ve mentioned this earlier than, however quite a lot of actors really feel that they may have one thing taken away from them or they’re going to be negatively affected when taking part in a heavy function. However I’ve discovered that via lots of my characters, I’ve discovered a little bit of myself. I’ve discovered qualities which might be substantial to being an entire individual.

I am going to positively, if I have never exhibited them already, lean into the qualities that I like about Jack: his assist and being there for his family and friends, his integrity, and his potential to know what’s most necessary. I am going to all the time respect Jack for displaying that in a really easy approach.

I wished to ask you about what sort of legacy you hope Station 19 leaves behind. However you’ve got touched on that lots already.

I hope these characters, and it already has based mostly on the followers’ responses, however I hope it reminds individuals of what issues most. I’ve already seen how individuals have responded to the present and the way it has modified them.

It is simply stunning when any present can try this, ? I’ve gotten messages from individuals saying, “I do know what I need to do. I need to be a firefighter. I need to be an EMT. I need to be Jack Gibson.”

That final one was a joke, by the best way. I imply, I hope. ,

Hey, now. There are some nice Jack Gibson attributes to aspire to. Certain, he is a little bit of a sizzling mess typically, however that makes him relatable. Aren’t all of us?

Yeah, precisely. [Laughs] That is instance too.

We have seen how a lot of a slob he’s or how a lot of a slipshod goose he’s — his clumsiness has gotten him right here, ?

However from the primary couple of seasons, we noticed he was a formidable firefighter with these virtually supernatural instincts. And that is cool to point out that as nicely. Now we have a little bit of all of that in us.

Is there the rest you possibly can tease concerning the the rest of the season or any particular belongings you’re excited for the viewers to see? I do not know the way far forward you guys are with filming.

We’re a minimum of midway via.

As for teasing, put together to be shocked for positive. Exhibits can typically get stale or predictable. However Station 19 has been actually good at not falling into that sample.

I used to be shocked a couple of occasions, and I am not one to get shocked usually with my countless information of the tv universe. Simply be ready to be shocked.

Apart from that, I in all probability cannot say with out getting in bother. I imply, however what are they going to do, hearth me? [Laughs] Kidding!

Gosh! [Laughs] I missed your jokes! I respect you having the ability to make me snort.

Effectively, Jasmine, that is why I am right here. I might hope I might be a formidable entertainer.

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Yeah, you’ve got solely been at this for a short while.

Yeah. Just a bit, 15 years. I would like 5 extra to be actually good.

Oh, I can guarantee you that you simply’re nice. You do wonderful with something you are given. I like watching your work. If it is not saved, I’ll miss seeing it on the present, however I am going to all the time stay up for seeing you in new issues.

Thanks. Yeah, me too.

However I additionally stay up for seeing what the opposite forged members go on and do as a result of I am keen on each single one among them. They’re simply so nice and do a extremely good job. It is not all the time widespread on a present…

We’re all principally chemical substances attempting to not combust at one another, ? And we’re actors, which is much more insane as a result of we’re much more insane. It has been wonderful that we will all get on so nicely and present one another such appreciation. I imply, clearly, I am everybody’s favourite, however past that.

I can imagine that.

No, I’m not. I am favored, a minimum of.

I described you as soon as as human sunshine, and it nonetheless holds true — superb and heat vitality.

Thanks, Jasmine. I respect that. I hope I can preserve that.

— This interview has been edited for size and readability

You’ll find Gray Damon on Station 19, which airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC. You possibly can stream all the sequence on Hulu.

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