“High Potential” is putting a famous face to a very important name when Jennifer Jason Leigh (“Fargo”) joins the ABC procedural on March 17 (9/8c) as the mysterious Willa Quinn. And as you’ll see in TVLine’s exclusive sneak peek, she’s not one to suffer fools — or cheap desserts.
Our first look opens on a tense moment between Willa and one of her fretful clients, who is desperate to crawl out of a scandal he’s found himself at the center of. “Don’t lose your sense of humor,” she tells him after making a flippant joke at his expense. “A bigger scandal is coming.”
Right on cue, their conversation is interrupted by Lieutenant Soto, who informs Willa that she just needs her help “clearing some things up.” But rather than stress about being questioned by law enforcement, Willa is more preoccupied with her dessert, offering Soto a taste of the pricey truffles spread before her.
When Soto respectfully refuses a bite of Willa’s truffles, the mood shifts, and Soto quickly realizes that Willa will be a tough nut to crack. It doesn’t help that when she asks to speak in private, Willa says of her client: “With the amount I know about this one, he’s not barking unless I tell him to.”
Who is Willa Quinn on High Potential?
So, how does this mysterious new power player factor into the ever-growing Roman puzzle? Willa Quinn’s name was first mentioned on the March 10 episode of “High Potential,” identified by Eric Heywood, the bearded man who Arthur found stalking Morgan and her kids. Eric told Soto that he would rather go to jail than flip on “her,” saying she doesn’t even have a name, “just the sound she leaves behind.” Chilling!
As it turns out, though, she does have name — Willa Quinn, officially described by ABC as a “dangerously well-connected New York fixer who works for the rich and powerful, discreetly making problems disappear and secrets stay buried. When her name surfaces in Morgan’s search for the missing Roman Sinquerra, it becomes clear Willa knows much more than she’s letting on. But to find the truth, Morgan may have to force Willa out of the shadows.”
This marks the biggest break in the case of Morgan’s missing ex, but will it lead us to Roman by the end of the season? Showrunner Todd Harthan recently promised TVLine that there are “some pretty big Roman developments coming,” so here’s hoping this is just one of many. We need to find this guy already!
Are you glad we’re finally making progress in the Roman mystery? Do you hope that storyline wraps up by the end of Season 2? Hit PLAY on the video above for your exclusive first look at the March 17 episode of “High Potential,” then drop a comment with your thoughts below.
Want more scoop on “High Potential”? Got questions or tips about another TV show? Email us at asktvline@tvline.com!