Who Plays Ava on Will Trent? Julia Chan’s Season 4 Character Explained

Updated 24 January 2026 04:03 PM

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Who Plays Ava on Will Trent? Julia Chan’s Season 4 Character Explained

Who Plays Ava on Will Trent in Season 4?

Ava on Will Trent season 4 is played by British actor Julia Chan, who reprises the role after first appearing in season 1. Viewers may recognise her from shows like Saving Hope, Archive 81, and Katy Keene, but her return as the sharp, slightly chaotic photographer has quickly become one of the standout talking points of season 4.

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The production even promoted her comeback with short social clips where she casually introduces herself as “Julia Chan, I play Ava Green on Will Trent,” which helped remind fans where they had seen her before.

Who Is Ava on Will Trent?

Ava on Will Trent is a photographer and former suspect‑turned‑ally who has a complicated, flirty history with Will. She first appeared in season 1, episode 5, when Will and Faith were investigating an art‑world heist and initially treated her as part of the criminal crew before learning she had been pressured into helping.

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Season 4 brings her back in an episode where a model is murdered during a shoot, and the investigation leads Will straight into Ava’s studio space and, inevitably, back into that unresolved chemistry.

In the new episode, Ava helps the GBI navigate a shady photography scene and, at one point, ends up in real danger when a grieving suspect points a gun at her, forcing Will to juggle feelings and police instincts at the same time.

The character works because she feels like part of Will’s “almost life,” someone he could have chosen if his personal history with Angie were less tangled, which adds a quiet ache under their banter.

Julia Chan Age

Julia Chan was born on 9 May 1983, which makes her 42 years old in 2025–26. She grew up between Hong Kong and the UK, studied History of Art and Architecture at Harvard University, and later trained at The New School for Drama in New York before building a career across Canadian, US, and British projects.

Alongside on‑screen work in series like Saving Hope, Archive 81, and Katy Keene, she has also done stage roles and voice work, giving her the sort of varied background that fits an offbeat character like Ava.

About Will Trent

Will Trent is an American crime drama based on Karin Slaughter’s bestselling novels about a Georgia Bureau of Investigation special agent with a difficult childhood and an exceptional eye for detail.

The series follows Will as he solves complex cases in Atlanta with partners like Faith Mitchell and long‑time love Angie Polaski, while dealing with his own trauma and a buried sense of loyalty to people who hurt and helped him in equal measure.

The show mixes classic procedural ingredients, murders, conspiracies, and red herrings with more intimate character beats, which is why guest characters like Ava have room to feel layered instead of just functional.

Season 4 leans into that strength, using Ava’s return not only to crack a fashion‑world case but also to poke at the question fans quietly ask every week: what kind of life could Will have if he ever let himself step away from old patterns and choose something new.

Disclaimer 

Details about Ava on Will Trent and actor Julia Chan are based on publicly available entertainment reports and episode information and may change as the show continues. This content is for general information and fan reference only and should not be treated as an official biography or production statement.

Who Plays Ava on Will Trent in Season 4 - FAQ's

Q1. Who plays Ava on Will Trent?

Ava on Will Trent is played by British actor Julia Chan.

Q2. What is Ava’s full name on the show?

The character is known as Ava Green, a photographer connected to one of Will’s cases.

Q3. When does Ava appear in Will Trent?

Ava first appears in season 1 and returns in season 4 in a new case‑centric episode.

Q4. Why does Ava seem important to Will?

Ava has a flirty, complicated history with Will, making her feel like a possible “what if” in his personal life.

Q5. Where else has Julia Chan acted?

Julia Chan has appeared in series such as Saving Hope, Archive 81 and Katy Keene, along with other TV and stage projects.

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