9-1-1’s Oliver Stark and Ryan Guzman on Buck and Eddie’s ‘open, vulnerable, dangerous’ relationship in season 7
Ryan Guzman was a little tired on his first day back on 9-1-1.
During the writers’ and actors’ strike, the star wrote and produced a short film, which ended up being shot the night before he was scheduled to return for season 7 of the first responder drama, and “I didn’t sleep for 48 hours,” Guzman told Entertainment Weekly. “I remember just being delusional, but no one knew. I had some coffee and in my head I was trying to figure this out.”
Luckily, he had a co-star he knew he could trust to help ease him back into the role of 118 firefighter Eddie Diaz: “One of my first scenes was with Oliver [Stark], and there was always a comfort there,” Guzman says of his co-star, who plays firefighter and Eddie’s best friend Evan “Buck” Buckly on the series. “So it was probably just one rehearsal, two rehearsals, and then we just jumped right back in, and it felt like we never left.”
Guzman—and fans—are in luck, because co-creator Tim Minear promises there will be plenty of “Buddie” scenes in season 7. “I had a lot of fun writing Buck and Eddie and playing out their dynamic,” says Minear, who took over showrunner duties from Kristen Reidel (who will remain an executive producer) when the series moved from Fox to ABC for the new season, which premieres March 14 at 8 p.m. “Their friendship is the core of that dynamic. I’m trying to show that in every episode.”
Why is the Buddie relationship so appealing to so many? “One of the aspects that really resonated with me was that these are two men in this ‘masculine’ space—or what you’d expect—and they’re both really open and sensitive and vulnerable with each other,” Stark says, speaking to EW in our exclusive preview of the upcoming three-part epic. “I think it’s great to see these two stereotypically masculine men have a really open relationship where they can confide in each other and they can move forward and be there for each other in a very gentle way. I just think that’s a really cool thing and it’s actually [an] important thing to be able to show on this show.”
In the season 7 premiere, Eddie’s son Christopher (Gavin McHugh) is dating and the single dad will turn to his best friend for help. “It’s a really desperate moment for Eddie where he’s like, ‘Oh my God, this is a new path that I’m not prepared for…. Who knows about women? Oh, Buck,’” Guzman says. “I find it really funny and interesting that Eddie and Buck, who are the worst at relationships, are trying to give Christopher advice.”
They may not be the best at it, but by the end of season 6, things seem to be going well for Eddie and his hardware store hookup with Marisol (Edy Ganem), as well as Buck and midwife Natalia (Annelise Cepero). So how are those romances going?
“That’s mentioned pretty early on,” Stark teases of Buck’s dating status. “He’s just looking for his happiness, and he’s ready to show himself again and be open with all his emotions. He just wants to be happy.”
And Eddie—who has been through a very dark period in the last two seasons—is finding happiness, too.
“Eddie is learning who Marisol is,” Guzman says. “I think we’re going to see Eddie smile more. We’re going to see less of Eddie crying and being crazy, and less of the drama and trauma that Eddie’s been through. We’re going to see him hanging around the corner more, showing his comedic side.”
