Recently, Kenneth Choi opened up about his feelings regarding the shocking death of Bobby Nash in 9-1-1. The actor seems to have felt as emotional as the fans after last Thursday’s episode of the show.
Choi, who plays the role of Chimney in ABC’s series, got into a candid conversation with Entertainment Weekly and discussed the heartbreaking death of beloved fire captain, played by Peter Krause, who has been a main character since the show’s inception in 2018. In the April 17, 2025 episode of the show, Krause’s character Bobby Nash sacrifices his life to save the life of Chimney, the character played by Choi. Choi said he “was sobbing uncontrollably” and laughing at himself, because he knew it was just a show that he’s a part of. Despite that, because of how immersed he was in the show, Choi couldn’t help but feel devastated because of Bobby’s death.
While discussing the character’s death, he also highlighted his relationship with long-standing co-worker Krause. The actor commented, “We’re thick as thieves,” and mentioned that they would be seeing each other regularly still. He explained how the grief he is experiencing is essentially for the character and not for his co-star, and remarked, “But I won’t be with Bobby, and I didn’t know that would affect me so much.”
Choi Fought the Writer on the Death and Tried to Convince Him Otherwise
Image via Christopher Willard/Disney
While describing his initial reaction to the news, Choi said that he had fought with the show’s creator, Tim Minear, and had made attempts to reason and convince him against the killing off. He said he kept fighting with Minear until the shooting of the funeral, as he somehow kept hoping that the decision would be “reversed.” He said, although to him the decision seemed like “killing off the father figure,” Minear had his own creative reasons for doing so.
Choi shared that it was difficult for him to believe the news and, at first, he assumed it was a joke from Tim. His exact words were, “Tim has a very wry sense of humour, and I was just waiting for him to say ‘I’m just f****ing with you, just kidding,’” and those words never came.” He shared that after a long wait, he finally understood that Minear was, in fact, serious.
While discussing the impact on the 118, Choi said the entire squad is going to lose their father figure and would have to bear the silent weight of this tragedy. But for Choi’s character Chimney, this is going to be the hardest of all the struggles. He would definitely be seen suffering from guilt, as it is for him that Nash sacrificed his life. Choi explained how his character would be seen struggling to cope with his emotions of grief, guilt, anger, and frustration moving forward.
9-1-1 airs every Thursday at 8 PM ET on ABC. All seasons of the show are available to stream on Hulu and on Disney+.
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9-1-1 |
|---|---|
| Cast | Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Oliver Stark, Aisha Hinds, Kenneth Choi, Ryan Guzman |
| First Release Date | January 3, 2018 |
| Stream On | Hulu, ABC (current), previously Fox |
| Created by | Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear |
| Produced by | 20th Television |
| Based On | Original concept |
| Plot Summary | A fast-paced procedural drama following first responders — firefighters, paramedics, and police — as they navigate high-stakes emergencies and personal challenges in Los Angeles. |
| Musical Elements | Score by Mac Quayle |
| Current Status | Ongoing; moved to ABC for Season 7, premiered March 14, 2024 |
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