2 weeks Ago By Markos Papadatos
Actor Ryan Guzman has been playing the role of Eddie Diaz in the hit procedural drama TV series “9-1-1” on ABC for the past six seasons. Guzman has been killing it on this show and this role, and he has easily become the heart and soul of “9-1-1.” At the end of the seventh season, Eddie was secretly dating a woman who looked like his late wife.
Eddie’s son, Christopher (played by a superb Gavin McHugh ), who has cerebral palsy got so upset when he saw Eddie with her that he chose to live with his grandparents in El Paso, Texas, for the indefinite future. Christopher then subsequently cut off any contact with Eddie. In the beginning of the current season (Season 8), Guzman has grown a thick mustache, which is symbolic as a coping mechanism for his complex character Eddie dealing with the damaged relationship between him and his son.
Compliments to the show’s screenwriters for writing these characters material that they can really sink their teeth into. The family dynamics between father and son (Eddie and Christopher) are so raw, authentic, and they hit the audience like a shot in the heart. Two episodes ago, Eddie attended confession and professed his guilt concerning Christopher but initially rejected the priest’s suggestions of penance, and rightfully so.
Eddie subsequently runs into the priest in public, who discerns that Eddie’s new mustache is a disguise for his woes. Eddie shaves his mustache and does the risky business dance at home as a show of self-liberation. When Buck ( Oliver Stark ) arrives home, they both drink in silence.
In the mid-season finale , Eddie and Brad (Callum Blue) talk about fatherhood and their sons in a moving episode. In the scene when Buck goes over to Eddie’s house, Stark is a revelation as he is caught off guard when he learns that Eddie is considering moving to El Paso to be closer to his son Christopher. While Buck is clearly surprised to hear this, he tries to put on a brave face for his dear friend.
Overall, it is neat to watch the evolution of Ryan Guzman’s character grow in “9-1-1.” Ryan Guzman proves that he is one of the most versatile and underrated actors of our generation, where his acting runs the gamut in this series, and he makes us feel every emotion imaginable. Bravo.
Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News.Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 21,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports.
He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times..
