Ryan Guzman Talks the Success of '9-1-1' and Finding Family in His Costars

Ryan Guzman

9-1-1 soared to new heights when it was given a second chance at life by ABC. Now, Ryan Guzman and the rest of the cast are determined to make season 8 better than ever before.

“I think everybody has a sense of gratitude for where we are. I mean, we are a procedural that’s lasted eight seasons now. It’s exceptional, to [say] the least,” Guzman, 37, exclusively shared in the latest issue of Us Weekly while promoting season 8 of the firefighter drama. “So, it’s just that kind of thing that we were excited to get back to our work family and get back into this season 8. It’s just [like], ‘All right, how can we make this just as good as last year?’”

After a steady level of success on Fox for six seasons, the network canceled the series last spring only for ABC to revive it hours later. The network’s risk paid off: 9-1-1’s season 7 premiere was the most-watched multiplatform episode since November 2022, and 10 episodes later, the finale reined in the biggest demo audience on broadcast TV since May 2023.

Season 8, which premieres on Thursday, September 26, will continue to follow Guzman, who portrays military vet and beloved single dad Eddie Diaz, and the rest of fire station 118 as they face new changes. With Captain Bobby Nash’s (Peter Krause) accidental resignation, the group will be led by the militant — not to mention racist and homophobic — Captain Gerrard (Brian Thompson). It’s a challenge Guzman says will be much more difficult for some than others.

‘9-1-1’ Season 8 Promises a Crisis for Each Member of the 118

“[Gerrard] likes everything done by the book and he’s kind of a hard ass. [But] knowing Eddie’s background, he kind of falls in line,” Guzman explained. “He’s used to this kind of behavior. He is used to this kind of figure in front of him telling him what to do, what not to do. So, it doesn’t really ruffle Eddie’s feathers too much.”

While Gerrard is certainly “not” what Eddie “wants” for his team, Guzman noted that his character’s ability to keep his emotions in check will be a helpful tool with the controversial new leader.

“He’s pretty close to [the vest] with his emotions unless he is venting to the therapist or Bobby or Buck or someone else in the 118,” he explained. “So it doesn’t really affect him as much as some of the other characters who happen to be a little bit more emotional or erratic in their behavior.”

Eddie might be handling changes at work in stride, but his personal life will be a different story. The fallout from getting involved with Kim (Devin Kelley) — a woman who resembled his late ex-wife — is still in full effect as his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), remains in Texas with his grandparents. And as for his romantic life after splitting from his ex Marisol (Edy Ganem), Guzman teased that Eddie will be focused on loving someone new this season: himself.

“All I can really say is that when you can’t love another person, it’s usually because you can’t love yourself,” Guzman explained. “So, this portion of Eddie’s story is going to be a little bit more involved in his lack of — and his gaining of — self-love.”

One relationship that continues to thrive? Eddie’s close friendship with Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark). The actor told Us that the duo are still “going strong,” noting that Eddie will be a source of comfort for Buck when Gerrard makes things difficult on the job.

“Buck’s behavior is a lot different than Eddie, so seeing Buck deal with the weight of Gerrard, he definitely leans on the one 118 — and especially Eddie — a lot of the time,” Guzman told Us. “So that relationship is stronger than ever and continues to flourish.”

Buck, meanwhile, will be there to support Eddie as he deals with his newly estranged relationship with his son. “Especially now, with Christopher being gone, there’s no one in Eddie’s life really,” Guzman pointed out. “So he leans on his best friend a lot.”

Buck and Eddie have been a fan-favorite duo since Guzman joined the cast for season 2. The duo’s onscreen chemistry, perhaps, is helped by Guzman and Stark’s real-life friendship, which has also developed over the years. Lately, Guzman said that the pair have connected over their mutual love of photography.

“We haven’t shot together, but we’ll talk about photography every now and then,” he said, sharing that Stark is in the midst of lending him some of his lights. “It’s all a matter of collaboration.”

Part of why fans love 9-1-1 is because of the cast’s bond, and Guzman is thankful they have “fine-tuned” their “family dynamic” over the years. “We hang out with each other off set on set,” he added. “Like, me and Aisha [Hinds] are going to Disneyland very soon together.”

Those authentic friendships have led the 9-1-1 cast to explode in popularity somewhere else: social media. Guzman and his costars have become viral sensations for their hijinks behind the scenes, often shooting videos doing popular TIkTok trends or playing lighthearted pranks on each other during down time.

“We have a great time doing those little videos because they’re funny,” Guzman said with a laugh. “I mean, we’re just kind of capturing a bit of what we actually do on set in general. And that’s how the atmosphere is.”

In recent months, the entire 9-1-1 crew has come together to largely honor a new member of the season 8 cast: Eddie’s mustache. Guzman is well aware that fans have a “love hate relationship” with the facial hair, but that hasn’t stopped him from showing off the new look whenever he can.

“[Eddie having a mustache] is something I pitched a long, long time ago when I first got on the show. I wanted to do a mustache and it didn’t make it then, but it came back this year,” he told Us of how the look came to be. “Kenny [Choi] saw it. He loved it. He goes, ‘Are you gonna do it?’ I said, ‘Man, if they let me do it, I’m there.’ So I sent a picture to [showrunner] Tim Minear, and he loved it. Next thing you know, we’re publicizing this mustache like it’s its own character.”

While Guzman — and his mustache — are currently busy shooting, a new season of 9-1-1 isn’t all he has on the horizon. Guzman is set to star opposite Rosario Dawson in the movie Midnight, a thriller that follows a woman (Alexandra Shipp) being hunted by international criminals who believe she has a package that was given to her by her federal agent sister (Dawson).

Guzman told Us that spending his summer with Dawson was the best decision he could have made.

“She was such a blessing to shoot with,” he gushed. “You know, sometimes you work with actors that are very talented but aren’t very nice people. She was definitely not that. She was such a sweetheart and incredible soul every day. Coming to work was just a joy.”

While 9-1-1 is keeping him busy, Guzman is also excited to get back to his “first love” of featured films.

“I’m writing and trying to produce my own [movie], as of right now,” he shared. “And I don’t know how long we’re on 9-1-1, but I’m planning for the future to be very busy.”

For now, Guzman is happy to be right where he is — a place he knows is largely in part to the fans.

9-1-1’s Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley and Eddie Diaz’s Friendship Timeline

“I am so grateful for [our] loyal fan base and for the viewership and the backing of Eddie’s character,” Guzman told Us. “I was originally only supposed to be in a couple episodes. I think I was signed on for one episode, and if that episode did good, I was going to be on forever. I’m so happy that the viewers love the character and are behind the character.”

“We’ve got so much [in] store for you this year,” he teased.

For more on Guzman and the upcoming season of 9-1-1, pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.

9-1-1 season 8 premieres on ABC Thursday, September 26 at 8 p.m. ET.