‘Will Trent’: Iantha Richardson Teases Major Fallout From That Jaw-Dropping Arrest

[Warning: The following post contains MAJOR spoilers about Will Trent Season 3 Episode 9, “The Kid’s Gonna Be Alright.”]

The newest episode of Will Trent has a curious title: “The Kid’s Gonna Be Alright.” Because the kid is decidedly not going to be all right — especially if and when his mother finds out what’s going on with him.

On Tuesday’s (March 11) episode of the crime drama, Will Trent’s (Ramon Rodriguez) old frenemy Rafael Wexler (Antwayn Hopper) comes back into the picture — this time, it turns out he owns the record label that Faith’s (Iantha Richardson) son Jeremy (Deion Smith) is working at, which also happens to be mixed up in a murder investigation she and Will are working on.

After a rising star rapper is murdered before a show, another rapper takes credit for it, and it just so happens to be one of Rafael’s in-house artists. As it turns out, that artist also proves to be another victim instead of the perpetrator, but not before Faith has dropped into the studio to see Jeremy in action … and get a load of his new boss.

While Faith beams with pride over seeing her son in his element while producing beats, she’s incensed by the sight of Rafael joining that table. What mother wouldn’t take issue with her kid being in the employ of a notorious gang leader? And her fears are justified, too. After Rafael fires Jeremy over his mother’s outburst, he offers him a way back in — transporting a bag on his behalf. It is of course filled with a felony quantity of drugs, so when Jeremy is caught in a traffic stop, Will has to come to his rescue. Will tells the responding officer that Jeremy is a confidential informant and then makes that the truth — all without Faith knowing anything about it.

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TV Insider caught up with Iantha Richardson via email to break down Jeremy’s shocking fall from grace and find out how Faith is going to react if and when she does find out the truth about the situation.

This episode sees Faith move in with Michael. Those two haven’t had as many collaborations as some of the other characters in the past, so what will this mean for their relationship moving forward?

Iantha Richardson: You know, those work friendships that are not the most expected pair, and may not truly function outside of work, but are cool inside the building? This is basically that, except we do get to see them function outside of the building! It’s fun because you get to see two platonic friends with very full lives live their very full lives side by side and somehow make it work. They are there for each other without overstepping boundaries and support each other as friends when they need it most. An odd but fun duo for the moment!

Faith seems very proud of Jeremy when she sees him in the studio. Do you think she didn’t understand his career interests and true passions before that moment?

Not at all! Faith is from Atlanta, and as a native, I think she is all too familiar with the “rapper dream”-gone-wrong. Not that she doesn’t believe in Jeremy pursuing his dreams or his talents, she just wants him to have everything she didn’t. This moment was big because as a parent, she was judging from her perspective, and then to see him in action was an “aha” moment that turned her point of view completely around.

Disney / Daniel Delgado Jr.

This episode represents the ever-growing hip hop scene in Atlanta. How important is it to you that Will Trent explores these types of elements of the city’s culture? And what other parts of Atlanta do you hope it’ll showcase in future episodes?

I think hip hop has such a vibrant culture in Atlanta and it’s so important for Will Trent to explore that being that the city is a character in and of itself on the show. I hope in the future we get to utilize and show more of the city’s cultural landmarks, speak about its civil rights era history, and how it all correlates to today and the cases GBI handles day to day.

What is her biggest fear when she finds out Rafael Wexler is the one who runs the place shortly thereafter?

That Jeremy will forgo his dream of producing for financial stability and the lifestyle that comes with drug dealing and fraternizing with Rafael.

What is Faith’s read on the relationship between Will and Rafael? He’s so ingrained in GBI lately what with Amanda housing his daughter. 

Faith knows that there is a deep history with Will and Rafael, but Will has shown her that his values come first, so I don’t believe she worries about how that will hurt the investigation or Will’s allegiance to her and Jeremy at all.

Does Faith fully trust Will again yet? Their partnership seems stronger with each new case since he came back. 

I think at this point, she really does. They’ve built a bond and he’s proven trustworthy as of now.

At the end of the episode, Jeremy goes behind Faith’s back and commits a crime to win back his job at Rafael’s studio. And Will Trent has to make him a confidential informant to keep him out of jail. Is Faith going to find out about all of this, and what is it going to do to her relationship with her son and Will?

Faith is very perceptive and a mother! Although she may not or may find out about this, she will definitely have her spidey senses tingling. None of this can end well. I’ll just say that! It’s her son!

Faith gives Jeremy a nice speech about her unconditional love for him in that voicemail, and Will gives her a nice confidence boost by telling her a good mother. Both feel like the calm before a big storm. What can you tease about what else is ahead in the coming episodes?

Whew, a lot! A lot of emotion and Faith being more maternal and human than I think we’ve ever seen her! There’s so much good stuff I cannot wait for the audience to see!

Will Trent, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC

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