Kevin McKidd on his directorial debut: “I’m in my late 30s and I love acting, but I wanted to shake things up a bit”

Kevin McKidd is perhaps best known for his work as an actor, having starred in the HBO series “Rome” and filled out the casts of “Trainspotting,” “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” and other films. But the 37-year-old Scotsman is ready to switch things up. Tonight, in addition to starring as Dr. Owen Hunt on ABC’s drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” McKidd will also be credited as the episode’s director — his first time behind the camera.

“I found out I was directing four days before they were to start shooting and had to go into prep right away,” recalls McKidd. “The show costs X millions of dollars to make each episode, so I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me.”

“I’m in my late 30s and I love acting, but I wanted to shake things up a bit in my career. I had a hunch that my personality type would lend itself to directing and to be able to communicate to a crew. I’ve got the right temperament for dealing with a lot of pressure”.

Although McKidd enjoyed his first time working behind the camera, he maintains acting is his first love.

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