Ramón Rodríguez Says He Connected with the ‘Heart’ of ‘Will Trent’
Ramón Rodriguez brings a quirky and different point of view to his latest role in ABC’s Will Trent. The show has been a hit with audiences partly due to Rodriguez’s unique and lovable take on the character. In a recent interview, the actor explained what drew him to the series saying he connected with the “heart” of Will Trent.
‘Will Trent’ follows a former foster kid turned agent with a unique perspective on life
Will Trent is the newest kid on ABC’s block. Based on Karin Slaughter’s novel series of the same name, Will Trent follows the title character who grew up in the foster care system after being abandoned by his parents as a child. Growing up in the system had a lasting effect on Will but he managed to come out almost whole on the other side.
A special agent at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Will, despite his dyslexia, has an eye for details which has resulted in him closing several cases at the bureau and having the highest clearance rate, leading to animosity in some of his colleagues. His time in foster care acts as motivation for Will who always strives to ensure no one in his line of work gets abandoned like him.
The series focuses on Will as he solves crimes using his detective skills. He gets partnered with one of APD’s disgruntled officers who has a very personal reason for disliking him. He also navigates a complicated relationship with APD Homicide Detective Angie Polaski who works for another agency.
Ramón Rodriguez loved his character’s heart
Rodriguez delivers an effortless performance as Will who thrives against all odds. The actor recently sat down with ABC News to discuss his character. When asked what attracted him to his character Will, he said, “His resilience. [He is] someone that has gone through a lot in his life and is able to persevere. That was something that I definitely connected with and responded to with the character.”
Rodriguez said he loved that Will “had this bleeding heart” and “cares deeply” despite everything. The actor said he especially loved a scene in the pilot when his character adopts a dog. Will takes a dog whose owner had died, to a shelter he believes has a no-kill policy.
However, when he learns the shelter isn’t a no-kill facility, he reluctantly adopts the dog and quickly grows attached. “I think those two can connect on that level,” he said of his character and the dog, adding that Will’s “spirit, his heart and the fact that he’s complicated” made him love the character.
Rodriguez reiterated the comment in an interview with People saying of the dog-adoption scene, “When I read that scene, I was like, ‘Okay this has got me hooked. The character has a lot of heart. I’d already known the troubled past, but when I read that scene, he got me.”
‘Will Trent’ has been a hit with audiences and critics alike
The reception to Will Trent has been phenomenal with critics loving and praising it for its storylines and characters. The show currently has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Daniel D’Addario of Variety wrote, “It is hard to root against a show that, within the context of its genre, seems admirably open to presenting its characters as something other than brilliant supercops.”
Max Gao of the AV Club gave the ABC show a B- writing, “It will welcome viewers who have never read the source material but it risks alienating longtime fans of Slaughter’s books.”
