Currently starring in the historic 22nd season of\u00a0ABC\u2019s Grey\u2019s Anatomy<\/em>, Kim Raver continues to command the screen as fan-favorite Dr. Teddy Altman. More than two decades into the groundbreaking series, her performance as chief of surgery remains as compelling as ever, anchoring the show through one of its most ambitious eras.<\/p>\n This season, Raver steps back behind the camera, marking her third time directing for the series. Airing tonight, she helms episode 2209, Fortunate Son,<\/em> an emotionally layered installment that explores family dynamics and unexpected reunions, while testing the strength of relationships both inside and outside the hospital walls.<\/p>\n Beyond\u00a0Grey\u2019s<\/em>, Raver is expanding her creative reach, co-producing three Lifetime films with her husband based on bestselling novels by Jane Green. From her directorial debut\u00a0Tempting Fate<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0To Have and To Hold<\/em>\u00a0and Family Pictures<\/em>, she\u2019s proving her influence extends well beyond the OR\u2014and now, into skin care, too. With a new partnership with French beauty brand Esthederm, Raver brings the same intention she\u2019s known for on-screen to her off-duty skin-care routine.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an incredible alignment with who I am. I got to visit their factory in the South of France and really see everything\u2014how they do it and the care that goes into it. Their whole mission is about optimal beauty and confidence at every age. I just love that. I try to approach beauty through food and fitness, and they\u2019re also about nourishing from the inside out. They also have this amazing cutting-edge science. They activate\u2014though I don\u2019t know the technical term\u2014the biology of your own skin on a cellular level.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, and it\u2019s just amazing. They really took me through it all, and I saw all of these women who are their biochemists. It was fabulous to walk past because they have all these glass windows, so you can really see what\u2019s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just feel so lucky that I\u2019m getting to direct there, and that I\u2019ve got Debbie Allen as my mentor. She\u2019s just extraordinary. I learned so much from her and have such an unbelievable crew. The writing of this episode, in particular, is just amazing. There\u2019s a very big storyline with Jim Pickens. I know that he\u2019s publicly come out with prostate cancer\u2026 and we are also following that story in my episode for his character, Richard.<\/p>\n We have extraordinary guest actors. Dorian Harewood plays, well, I can\u2019t say who he plays, but he\u2019s extraordinary in it. Then Erica Marsh is another character played by Brit Morgan. That\u2019s the whole storyline with Ellen Pompeo and Scott. It really is an episode that follows three strong storylines. It\u2019s quintessential Grey\u2019s,<\/em> but you really get into the depth of Ellen\u2019s character with Nick, and then also watching Debbie Allen and Chandra Wilson\u2018s characters.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s ever-fluctuating. I think that is also, again, why I am loving working with Esthederm: I can have a routine in the morning, and I was never much of a skin-care person before. I felt lucky enough to be like, \u2018Well, whatever,\u2019 I put on my face. They have such an incredible routine, and as I\u2019m getting older, I feel like it\u2019s really nice to have one.<\/p>\n I do that every morning and every night. They have this whole Osmo cleansing thing. Then I use this Eau Cellulaire Water Mist, which I\u2019m absolutely addicted to. I\u2019ll use that underneath my makeup, but then also when I\u2019m on set. It\u2019s a great little boost.<\/p>\n Then I use the Age Proteom, which is this incredible base, and then their intensive cream that goes over that. Then, I have my coffee and drive to set. Then, depending on what kind of day I have, I\u2019ll listen to certain music and get into that vibe. If I have a lot of medical dialogue, then I go back to my acting basics and tongue-twisters because the medical stuff can be so much.<\/p>\n I also do this thing where I\u2019ve been walking a ton. From our trailers, it\u2019s a little bit further away from the stages. There are these little golf carts that go back and forth. I walk, and I put my set bag, which we call Claudette, on the golf cart because it\u2019s so heavy. I\u2019ve got my water, my scripts and my computer. It\u2019s a big joke. They\u2019re like, \u2018Is Claude riding?\u2019 I\u2019m like, \u2018Yes, she\u2019s getting in.\u2019 It\u2019s a fun joke. Then I walk back and forth, and I\u2019ll get all my steps in just walking back and forth from the stages to my trailer. Then, coming back home, I usually grab my mint tea and decompress.<\/p>\n Directing is a completely different thing. That is six weeks of just full on. I\u2019m up at 4 a.m. every single morning, and I\u2019m breaking down the script. I\u2019m making sure that that day I\u2019m completely prepared, not only as an actor, but also that I have everything that I need for my actors and that I have everything for my camera crew and for the crew. I try to get there before everyone. Some of the crew are there very, very early, too. Then, I walk through the stages of what scenes I have that day. Then at night, I go over all the scenes I have for the next day, just so I\u2019m super, super prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt sounds crazy, but I\u2019m really excited just to work. We have such incredible storylines that we\u2019re telling right now. I feel like we left it on such a cliffhanger. I\u2019m excited for the audience to see. This episode is such\u2026 I think everyone knows the Richard character for all these years, from the beginning, so to see that character in harm\u2019s way is a beautiful journey.<\/p>\n I\u2019m excited for the fans to really follow these storylines. Ellen was just incredible. Her and Scott are just amazing in this episode. I\u2019m excited for everyone to see that. I\u2019m excited to maybe, once we wrap, to go back to France and go back to Esthederm and just keep seeing more of what they\u2019re doing there because it\u2019s just such an innovative skin-care company. Then my youngest graduates, so I\u2019ll be going, going, going!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWord on the street is you have a new beauty partnership. Can you tell me a little bit about Esthederm and why you like it?<\/h2>\n
Very cool. That\u2019s great that you got to go to France to see where it was made.<\/h2>\n
On the work front, you have a big episode coming out in January. I know you can\u2019t share everything, but what can fans expect for the one that you directed?<\/h2>\n
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You said that you\u2019re into wellness. How does the day work for you, from getting into character and then getting back to your personal life? Do you have a pretty good schedule down?<\/h2>\n
I know the show will keep you busy this month, but is there anything else you\u2019re looking forward to in the new year\u2014maybe a vacation or something else?<\/h2>\n