Preparing for 9-1-1: Nashville gave Chris O’Donnell a firsthand look at the intense world of firefighting—and he hasn’t seen it the same way since.
The timing was especially emotional. Wildfires had just torn through the Pacific Palisades, destroying much of his community. “We were lucky,” he says. “So many weren’t.”
Training with local firefighters opened his eyes to the physical toll of the job. “The equipment alone is overwhelming,” O’Donnell explains. “The heat, the weight, the technical knowledge—it’s astonishing.”
Having real firefighters on set as extras added authenticity. “It changes everything,” he says. “You feel the reality behind every scene.”