9-1-1 star Ryan Guzman is mourning the death of Captain Bobby Nash just like everyone else — but initially thought his character, Eddie, would be the one saying goodbye.
“I got the call [about Bobby dying] from [our showrunner] Tim [Minear] when I hadn’t really worked in a month or so,” Guzman, 37, explained exclusively to Us Weekly ahead of the show’s season 9 finale. “I hadn’t been in two episodes. So I thought the call was for me! I thought I was on the chopping block.”
Guzman’s Eddie has spent a majority of season 8 in El Paso, Texas, trying to win back the affections of his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), who moved in with his grandparents when their relationship deteriorated in season 7. The duo have since reunited, but Eddie was still nowhere to be found when Bobby (Peter Krause) contracted a deadly virus that ultimately led to his death.
Bobby’s funeral finally brought Eddie back to L.A., and by the penultimate episode of the season hadn’t left. While a permanent return back to the City of Angels remains to be seen, Guzman teased that L.A. is where Eddie truly “belongs.”
Here, Guzman talks to Us about what to expect from 9-1-1’s season 8 finale, reflects on the loss of costar Krause and more:
Us Weekly: Ryan, we’re excited to have you here, fresh off a crazy season. It has been an intense season, an emotional season. Obviously we’re dealing with the aftermath of a beloved character’s death. What was your reaction when you found out that Peter was leaving?
Ryan Guzman: I was in shock. I was in complete shock. I mean, you think of the core group and you never think they’re gonna leave. Or, if one leaves, we all leave, right? But it was just a shock and kind of a weird thing to know that someone is going to be off the show, but then still work with them. Every single time I saw him, I would give him hugs and be like, “Oh man, we will still hang out! We’re still gonna be friends.”
Us: Does it ever make you nervous as an actor then? Like, if he can go…
RG: Well, honestly, I got the call from [our showrunner] Tim [when] I hadn’t really worked in a month or so. I hadn’t been in two episodes. So I thought the call was for me!
Us: Oh, really?
RG: I thought I was on the chopping block. But no, you’re always kind of concerned. And now that you know this has happened, you just gotta be on your toes.
Us: Definitely. A lot of fans were upset that Eddie wasn’t there for Bobby’s death.
RG: Mm-hmm.
Us: What was your reaction to that? Was anything cut that we didn’t get to see? Because I think fans maybe wanted a little bit more of you.
Ryan: Yeah. We did do an edited reaction for this [episode 17]right? And it was a lot longer than what was shown.
Us: Oh, OK.
Ryan: But I mean, while I had those two episodes off, I was spending it with my kids. That’s all I cared about. I didn’t even realize — I’m like, “Oh, there’s two massive episodes being filmed right now.”
Ryan Guzman.
US WeeklyUs: We have this big [season 8] finale coming. It seems like the 118 is trapped. What can you tease about the episode and how this maybe sets the tone of what’s to come?
RG: Well, I mean, now we’re under the new landscape with no Bobby, so no captain. … You feel that there’s something missing and now we gotta try to figure out what fills that void. So that’s what we kind of figure out in this next episode.
Us: So we’ll have an answer about who’s the captain going forward?
RG: I think we’ll have an understanding of where the team’s at. I don’t know about as far [naming a new] captain.
Us: When he was in Texas he kind of seemed to shift a little bit, with his wardrobe and things like that. Was that intentional? Because it seemed to shift back when it came to L.A.
RG: Absolutely. I mean, I kind of pulled from my own experience — when I go back to Sacramento, I dress a little differently than I do in L.A. Kind of like hometown vibes. You got to let your guard down. So that’s kind of what I leaned into with Eddie and as much as he loves where he’s from, Texas, I really think that L.A. is where Eddie belongs.
Us: How is the aftermath of Bobby’s death going to affect Eddie? Because it seems like he is in a dark place. Is that fair to say?
RG: He could be. He could revert back right into old Eddie. But there’s been so much growth and work through Eddie over the past seven seasons, that we might actually be on the precipice of a new version of Eddie where he’s able to take on more.
Ryan Guzman, Aisha Hinds
Disney/Christopher WillardUs: Is that exciting for you as an actor?
RG: It is. You know, you always wanna keep it new.
Us: Out of all of the arcs that Eddie has had, what has been your favorite or most challenging?
RG: This last season was probably one of my favorites. You know, from the mustache and all the funny stuff with that. And the dancing, you know, half naked. [laughs] It’s, like, all those different things. It’s a really fun season.
Us: Was there anything you’re like, “I don’t know if I’m gonna do that!”
RG: Honestly, the dancing part was like, “Uh, I’m gonna be in my chonies?! OK. We’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out.”
Us: If you had to describe this finale in just a few words, what would it be?
RG: United.
Us: United, OK! Was it weird to film this without Peter though? Oliver [Stark] was saying that you filmed his death and then you went back to film a previous episode, so it was out of order a little bit.
RG: So strange. So strange. I’ll randomly text Peter every now and then just when I’m missing him. .. It is very strange. We do have Brian, who plays the other captain. And he’s also a joy to work with outside of his personality as the character he plays.
Us; Despite the heaviness of the past episode, a lot of fans couldn’t help but notice that Eddie and Chris ended the episode happily on Buck’s couch. Are you aware of the Couch Theory?
RG: No!
Us: That couches have, like, a deeper meaning between Buck and Eddie? Because obviously, you know, relationship…
RG: Oh! I’m curious now. [laughs]
Us: You’re gonna have to go through the fan theories and everything like that. But fans are always wondering, and I’m sure you get this question a lot, do you ever feel like they should explore that relationship a little bit more?
RG: I feel that it’s best [the way] they are right now. Because it’s such a beautiful opportunity. I know a lot of people want to see something and maybe the enticing part is that and we keep it that [way]. But I love that we get to depict on network television, a heterosexual man and homosexual man, and it doesn’t matter to them. They’re brothers. They love each other and they’re there to support each other and I think that’s all, honestly, what we need more in our world.
Us: Are you happy with Eddie’s single status? Do you want him to explore a relationship with him more in the future?
RG: He’s ready for the next thing to happen. So whenever that does happen, yeah. I think it should happen next season or so.
Us: What are you most looking forward to about season 9 and how Eddie can kind of grow and develop? If you were writing the show, what would you want to see happen to Eddie?
RG: Well, you can’t just have the characters be all happy. That’s not gonna be a good show. So we gotta figure something out with Eddie. But I think the next relationship should be something life-changing that it just throws him off for a loop. Maybe that. I don’t know if I wanna lose any more cast members.
Us: No, no, definitely not. Let’s not go there.
RG: Yeah. You know, I’m open for anything. And Tim, you know, he throws curve balls all the time.
Us: What are you hoping fans feel after this finale? Oliver said you’re still going to go through the rest of your tissue box. Do you feel the same way? It’s still gonna pull on those emotional heartstrings?
RG: Absolutely.
Us: Maybe lessen the blow that we’ve had so far, these past couple episodes?
RG: Yeah, we should feel a little warmer after this one. I think I saw some comments of the last episode and it was like, “Oh, the 118 feels like it’s back.” You see all your characters all interacting with each other. It’s back.” I think we see more of that.
9-1-1 airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.
