The Penguin with Director Helen Shaver

Helen Shaver has directed some of television’s most celebrated shows, including Vikings, Orphan Black, Law & Order: SVU, Westworld, Station Eleven and The Penguin (Episodes 4 and 5). Helen takes us on a personal journey, sharing how a childhood illness led her to discover a passion for storytelling. We explore how her time in the hospital influenced her path to acting and, eventually, her transition to directing—during a period when female directors were still a rare presence in North American television.

Helen opens up about her directing process, the preparation that went into her episodes of The Penguin, and her collaborative relationship with showrunner Lauren LeFranc.