Casting for 9-1-1: Nashville‘s sophomore season has begun with the announcement that Ryan Phillippe is heading to Nashville!
The casting itself isn’t a surprise. There’s been a notable shift in the last couple of years of actors who used to be in movie theaters making their way to the small screen. It’s a more dependable income, you get to flex your acting muscles, and you can live in one place for a while. Why do you think Angela Bassett is still on the 9-1-1 mothership?
What is a surprise when it comes to the Phillippe’s casting is that he’s joining Season 2 of 9-1-1: Nashville as a series regular. Even more so, a series regular with a multi-year deal with ABC. This means that his character isn’t going to be sitting on the sidelines. He’s going to be essential to the storyline that we’ve come to know surrounding the 113 family.
Who is Ryan Phillippe playing in 9-1-1: Nashville?
According to Deadline, Phillippe will be playing a “brilliant, iconolastic detective” who moves from New York to Nashville. Oh and there’s more. Apparently he’s a “seductive bad boy with a past” and “he’ll stir up all kinds of juicy drama with our first responders.” As if that wasn’t enough, he’s investigating “a mysterious criminal tormenting Nashville on a biblical scale.”
As of publication (April 20th) we don’t know his name or if he has a connection to any of the current characters.
What does Ryan Phillippe’s casting mean for the storyline on Nashville?
Phillippe joining Nashville means that this show is trying to cover all its bases when it comes to first responders. When you compare Nashville to 9-1-1, the only thing that’s missing is a dedicated police presence like the one the OG show has with Athena. Nashville has soft launched police involvement with the introduction of Taylor’s police offer roommate Jalen. And maybe Phillippe joining the show is the hard launch.
In comparison to 9-1-1, Nashville is a little more soapy. But they’ve dabbled in more serious matters in the last couple of episodes. Just before the break, we saw the 113 try and rescue a girl after her aunt murdered her mom and then went after her in “Love to Death.” And “Hard Knox” had Ryan and Sam also dealing with an attempted murder. So maybe a police presence, even a “seductive bad boy with a past,” would be an addition.
Phillippe’s addition also falls in line with what 9-1-1 itself is doing with May being interested in becoming a nurse. That opens the door for the exploration of a new kind of first responder experience.
9-1-1: Nashville returns with new episodes on Thursday, April 30th.
