9-1-1 Stars Break Down Crossover, React to Buck, Dixie Hookup

The 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville stars go face to face in a heated showdown throughout this week’s epic crossover — however behind the scenes, it was nothing however love.

In an unique interview with Us Weekly, 9-1-1’s Ryan Guzman and 9-1-1: Nashville’s Chris O’Donnell opened up concerning the surprisingly pleasant expertise of meshing their two casts into one for a particular two-part occasion.

“With 9-1-1: Lone StarI really feel like we had been coming into their world. This one felt like we had been totally engrossed, and we had somewhat bit extra to play with,” Guzman, 38, who beforehand made an look on 9-1-1’s first spinoff, instructed Us. “I can’t communicate for (my costar) Oliver (Stark)however I didn’t know what to anticipate going into Nashville. You don’t know what you’re gonna cope with with a brand new solid. However I used to be simply so pleasantly shocked by how superb everyone seems to be.”

Guzman famous “how straightforward” it was to “join” with the Nashville crew, saying it was a “pleasure to point out as much as work each single day.”

“Each actor was simply so welcoming on their set,” he gushed. “We had a whole lot of enjoyable.”

The 2-hour crossover, which aired on Thursday, March 5, noticed Los Angeles firefighters Evan “Buck” Buckley (Stark) and Eddie Diaz (Guzman) heading to Tennessee to compete within the nationwide firefighter video games. There, they arrive throughout Captain Don Hart (O’Donnell) and his 113 crew  — together with a couple of different notable hearth stations — to take part in a grueling battle to the end line in hopes of securing $25,000 for his or her respective firehouses.

“To begin with, (Oliver and Ryan) couldn’t be nicer guys and really easy going,” O’Donnell instructed Us of Stark and Guzman’s pop-in. “No egos, no particular lodging wanted. They had been actually terrific crew gamers.”

Guzman and Stark, after all, are “used to the chaos” that comes together with the 9-1-1 universe, because the flagship sequence is at present in its ninth season. And though O’Donnell admitted that the craziness of taking pictures so many weird disasters may be difficult, he was impressed at how Guzman and Stark didn’t even flinch in the course of the extra high-stakes moments.

“They simply had been completely mellow and simple going and sport for no matter,” he stated.

He added that there’s an simple worth in bringing characters from the “mothership” sequence over to subsequent spinoffs.

“And generally it’s powerful to determine tips on how to cross-pollinate once you’ve received a fireplace station in Nashville and a fireplace station in L.A.,” he stated. “Why would they arrive collectively? However now that they’ve, they’ve this bond.”

Preserve scrolling for every thing else Guzman and O’Donnell needed to say about 9-1-1’s newest crossover:

The Bobby Connection

Past competing in the identical video games, it’s revealed in the course of the occasion’s first hour that Buck and Eddie had been nominated to take part by their late captain, Bobby Nash (Peter Krause). As soon as they get to Nashville, nevertheless, they understand the connection runs even deeper, as Captain Hart beforehand labored with Bobby years prior.

“It offers some historical past there and a few backstory, and, I feel, an understanding of every tradition and a mutual respect for the cultures,” O’Donnell shared. “And I feel that followers love that sort of stuff.”

Guzman, in the meantime, stated that whereas Eddie initially shrugs off the concept of coming into the video games, studying about Bobby submitting him is a game-changer. “Bobby is the driving power in the direction of why Eddie goes to be attempting so laborious,” he instructed Us.

Eddie’s Aversion to the Video games

Whereas Buck is instantly invested in kicking some Nashville butt, Eddie must be satisfied to even conform to a visit to Music Metropolis along with his BFF. Guzman credit the apprehension to Eddie’s hatred of being “within the highlight.”

“I don’t assume that he desires folks to pat him on the again and inform him, ‘Good job,’” he defined. “I feel that he simply likes to do the job itself and join with people, and any sort of, like, ‘Take a look at me,’ power he simply stays away from.”

Guzman famous that Eddie felt equally concerning the latest firefighter public sale, which is why he finally requested Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) to put a bid for him.

“It’s like, ‘I don’t need any a part of this. Let me simply bid on myself,’” Guzman stated with fun. “I don’t need it really feel like a slab of beef! And coming to the video games, I don’t assume it’s till he will get within the video games and he’s challenged the place he’s like, ‘OK, now it’s (getting actual).’”

However somewhat extra on that public sale: When requested why Eddie prevented taking the stage just like the plague, Guzman stated that Eddie merely “doesn’t need that kind of consideration” and is “nearly too humble” in relation to having all eyes on him.

“He’s identical to, ‘I don’t know if I see myself this manner, guys, and I don’t actually care how different persons are portraying me, however I’d a lot fairly simply be the precise firefighter, not the attractive calendar firefighter,” Guzman stated. (Guzman did, nevertheless, admit he has a tough time understanding why nobody would bid on Eddie. Similar to Us!)

Eddie Brings the Occasion

Regardless of avoiding time just like the plague a couple of episodes prior whereas out at a membership with Buck and Ravi (Anirudh Pisharody), Eddie is all-in on time when he arrives in Nashville. It’s a aspect of the character that doesn’t come out typically, however one Guzman likes to painting.

“As soon as he’s totally wrapped his head round (coming into the video games), I feel Eddie is treating this as a trip,” Guzman instructed Us. “He must be performing, however on the identical time, like, ‘I’m in a brand new metropolis, let’s go have enjoyable!’”

He continued, “I like that a part of Eddie. I like that I get to showcase that as a result of we’ve seen Eddie so many occasions as a hardened particular person, depressive in sure areas, and now he’s attending to let unfastened, and let his hair down and have enjoyable.”

So why not have enjoyable on the membership in L.A.? “I feel it’s sort of that trip vibe,” Guzman admitted. “While you’re at residence and also you get requested to exit, it’s, like, a unique sort of really feel to it. However then when you exit to another place on this planet, you’re like, ‘I’m a brand new individual. I get to do issues I by no means do.’ I feel that’s what Eddie was going via.”

He added that going to a membership with Buck and Eddie with the “intent to seek out any person” looks like “a whole lot of strain” for the character, trip Eddie is a unique beast.

‘Everyone knows he doesn’t like (that strain), however within the pretense that he’s going to Nashville (for this) sport, that is simply an add on,” he stated. “Let’s simply see, expertise town somewhat bit, and what occurs, occurs.”

Getting Bodily

As soon as the day of the video games arrives, all bets are off and each firefighter is able to take residence the gold. Whereas the Harts are fired as much as win, issues take a flip when Don finally ends up sustaining an damage.

Whereas Don himself is extremely disillusioned he has to bow out — over a damaged pinky — O’Donnell was greater than happy to step apart for the youthful solid, and Don’s two sons Ryan (Michael Provost) and Blue (Hunter McVey) crew up as an alternative.

“I like that we’re even like, ‘What are we gonna do?’ After all we’re getting Blue!” O’Donnell stated. “I even regarded on the writers, I’m going, ‘Actually?’ … Get Blue in right here. Have you ever seen the scale of that dude?”

O’Donnell recalled how the solid and crew “saved laughing” due to how tiny Don’s damage truly is — “I had a bandaid on and it turned a factor on set, like, ‘Hey guys, always remember,’” O’Donnell stated with fun — which led him to imagine that possibly Don was “secretly pleased” his sons had been round to “decide up the slack.”

“As a result of I do know watching these two younger guys rip round these units and do that motion. Like, I’m not that outdated, however I’m undoubtedly not their age anymore,” he joked, including, “Carry on the younger guys!”

Guzman, in the meantime, had the alternative expertise on the video games, revealing that he truly needed to bodily sluggish himself down so he didn’t win the relay accidentally. (L.A. and Nashville find yourself in second and third place, respectively, after stopping to assist a fallen comrade.)

“It was sort of laborious to lose, to be trustworthy, as a result of each Oliver and I are tremendous aggressiveand I do know Hunter is as properly,” Guzman stated, laughing. “I used to be simply (telling Oliver), like, ‘Decelerate. Decelerate. You’re not presupposed to win, dude, decelerate.’ And at one level, I’m having to placed on my uniform, and as I’m placing on my turnout, I look to my left and proper, I see that half these folks haven’t placed on their turnout but, and I’m discovering, like, new methods to, sluggish myself down. I even threw my shoe off at one level.”

The Dixie Issue

The 2-part episode ends with Buck and Eddie lastly having their enjoyable. However after a protracted seek for a Bachelorette social gathering to hitch in on, Eddie finally ends up bowing out and going residence alone whereas Buck ends the night time with Don’s ex Dixie (LeAnn Rhimes).

“Not in my rewrite,” Guzman quipped, hinting he assumed Eddie can be the one spending a while with Dixie as an alternative. “The writers took me for a loop. However no, I’m pleased. I’m pleased! Buck goes via (quite a bit) and Eddie’s simply being good friend on the finish of the day. He’s like, ‘All proper, you’ve been Debbie Downer this entire time, you might be simply overly aggressive, you should let off some steam. Go discuss to this very lovely girl and have your self an important night time. I’m gonna go residence and play video video games.”

When requested if Don is likely to be feeling some kind of jealousy about Dixie and Buck if he had been to seek out out about their flirtation, O’Donnell didn’t rule out the concept.

“I imply, it’s powerful to say. On the one hand, there’s moments once you assume, ‘Nicely, screw it. She’s loopy. He doesn’t care,’” he stated. “However then (within the) flashback episode, you actually had an appreciation for Dixie and understanding how robust (her and Don’s) bond and the connection was.”

He continued, “They received a whole lot of historical past, and so he might not wish to admit it, however I’m positive he doesn’t be ok with (her with Buck). I imply, he’s not gonna begrudge Dixie for locating somebody and settling down, however that is likely to be somewhat near residence that setup.”

In terms of the followers loving the concept of Dixie and Don’s spouse, Blythe (Jessica Capshaw)getting collectively — notably after watching them bond in the course of the crossover — O’Donnell performed coy, however urged folks to maintain watching.

“It’s such an attention-grabbing dynamic, as a result of there’s simply a lot historical past and pressure and emotions,” he teased. “And I’ll let you know that the followers is not going to be let down by the season 1 finale. I imply, they’re driving this factor to a head. It’s going to be attention-grabbing.”

9-1-1 airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET, adopted by 9-1-1: Nashville at 9 p.m. ET.