For seven seasons, Jemma Simmons has been the brains behind some of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most memorable hi-tech gadgets, rescue missions, and even a few one-liners. This week, actress Elizabeth Henstridge will be the brains behind the show’s newest episode. Henstridge is making her directorial debut tomorrow night with the latest installment of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s final season. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Henstridge discussed what it was like to work behind the camera for a change.
Henstridge isn’t the first cast member to helm an episode of the series (that honor belongs to Clark Gregg). Regardless, her new behind-the-scenes role has been in the works for a while. She began “officially” shadowing other directors as early as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s third season. But when it came to directing scenes that featured her own character, things got a little tricky.
“Honestly, it was harder to direct other people in the scene while I was in it,” said Henstridge. “Credit to our cast, everybody made that so easy and comfortable. I wasn’t so much worried about directing myself because I can be extremely critical of myself. It was more yelling cut and then turning to someone within the scene and say, ‘Hey, don’t forget to maybe hit that word’ or whatever the direction was, or “Hey, that was great! Hey, that was very different, but…” The other actors in the scene were so brilliant and supportive and responsive.”
RELATED: The Team Faces a Time Storm in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Episode 7.09 Promo
This particular episode posed its own set of difficulties. After spending the entire season traveling through the past, Coulson and Daisy find themselves caught in a time loop. And until they find a way to escape it, they will be forced to watch their fellow agents die over and over again.
“As a director, it’s just the most incredible episode to get because it’s very challenging,” added Henstridge. “You have to shoot it differently, you have to make sure that each scene is still interesting. The pace has to [stay] up because you’re doing so many of the same scenes over and over again with slight changes. I was busy, let’s put it that way.”
The next episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs on Wednesday, July 22 at 10pm on ABC.
Are you excited to watch Henstridge’s directorial debut? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 1: The Coulson Protocols
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
