Chris O’Donnell admits there’s something timeless about firefighters—and playing one on 9-1-1: Nashville brought back childhood wonder he never quite lost.
Growing up, visiting a firehouse was “one of the biggest thrills,” he recalls. That admiration only deepened after wildfires destroyed much of his Pacific Palisades neighborhood earlier this year.
Though his home survived, the experience made his role as firefighter Don Hart feel personal. Training with real firefighters was eye-opening. “The gear, the heat, the machinery—it’s unreal,” he says. “I don’t know how they do it.”
Now filming in Nashville, O’Donnell says he carries both gratitude and awe into the role—honoring the people many kids still dream of becoming.