Ellen Pompeo will make her directorial debut during what might be the most emotional hour of Greys Anatomy this season. The heavy episode zeroes in on Maggies (Kelly McCreary) plight in the wake of learning that her mother Diane (LaTanya Richardson Jackson) has cancer and her health is quickly deteriorating.

Shes dealing with mountains of emotion, McCreary tells EW. Not only is she dealing with the news that her mom has cancer, but that the initial attempt to tackle it was not successful. Its even more complicated than the already really frightening diagnoses of IBC. Shes dealing with that, shes dealing with having the truth withheld from her from both Jackson [Jesse Williams] and her mother, and shes dealing with a sense of deep regret that she behaved in the way she did because of the misunderstanding between her and her mother.

But Maggie wont let her mother go down without a fight, pushing beyond both Dianes limits and the hospitals in a bid to save her mom. Maggie is such an optimist, and shes such a hard worker, McCreary notes. She feels really empowered by that, so after the initial shock, shes going to get to work and do her best to help. Shes determined to be solution-oriented, and find a way to make her mother well no matter what. Shes a brilliant doctor, she has all the resources, and she believes that this is a problem she can solve.

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The episode proved to be pretty intense material for Pompeos first time directing. The [potential] death of a mother is so quintessentially Greys Anatomy, Pompeo says. I was really excited to get that episode. Meg Marinis wrote it, and I couldnt have had a better partner with me and Meg together we get along so well, Im such a fan of her work. Its a beautiful episode, wonderfully acted by Kelly McCreary and LaTanya Richardson Jackson. Were just dealing with this one story, but I think its beautiful.

Pompeo and McCrearysought to make Maggies experience as relatable as possible. I had a moment one day of being on set and realizing that everyone in the room with me has probably dealt with the fear of losing someone, McCreary says. What that gave me, and that Ellen really teased out with her direction, was remembering how universal this experience is and how everyone goes through it in a different way. What I felt most strongly about was stripping away to the absolute truth of Maggies circumstances, the particulars of her mothers illness, that our audience could relate to in watching the story.

Greys Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Grey's Anatomy stars tease emotional Ellen Pompeo-directed hour - EW.com (blog)