‘9-1-1’: Jennifer Love Hewitt on Maddie’s Future at Call Center, Reunion With Buck

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie in 9-1-1
Q&A
FOX

Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) may be ready to return home to Los Angeles with her boyfriend, Chimney (Kenneth Choi), and their daughter Jee-Yun, but is she ready to go back to the call center? She had quit her job there at the end of last season.

That remains up in the air on 9-1-1 going forward, as does what the future holds for Maddie and Chimney after she left and they were apart for six months. But one thing that isn’t in flux is Maddie’s relationship with her brother, Buck (Oliver Stark), whom she stayed in contact with while she got the help she needed in Boston.

Hewitt tells us what’s ahead for her character in L.A.

Maddie has to settle back into L.A. It can’t be easy, right?

Jennifer Love Hewitt: It’s difficult. Any time that you’ve been away and the way that she left, I’m sure there’s definitely trepidation and a little bit of, “Are people gonna ask me what it was? Are they just gonna let me come back and be? What is that all gonna look like?” In the first few episodes of her being back, there’s not a lot of talking to large groups of people about where she’s been and what she’s been through.

Her focus really when she gets back is her family. It’s in seeing Buck. It’s in trying to navigate the awkwardness between her and Chimney and then reassuring him and Jee that being a mom is what she is ready and capable to do now. Then there’ll be the question of, what will happen with her and Chimney and will that be answered this season and if she’ll ever find her it back to 9-1-1.

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie in 9-1-1

FOX

Is that even something she’s thinking about at the moment, what’s going to happen with work?

I don’t think it is initially, but as she puts the parts back together of being in L.A., realizing that she can be back to being a mom and that she is OK and putting herself really back together, there will be questions for her on how that fits back in. As you saw in Boston, even in Maddie’s darkest, lowest and hardest moment, her ability and giant heart to want to help other people around her is who she is. I don’t know that not being at the call center will ever really be an option for her. I think she will find her way back. It’s just how and when.

That makes me think about the conversation she had with a nurse about being a nurse and helping people.

Yeah. It’s always been who she is. Even in lying to Buck about their brother, the ultimate goal of that was to help him emotionally. She was born with a big, compassionate heart and helping people has always been a part of her story. I think somewhere, even in her marriage, she thought that she could help Doug [Brian Hallisay] be different at some point, which is probably why she stayed in it so long. So I think that’s just who she is. I don’t know that she’ll be able to not ever go and do that again.

Oliver Stark as Buck in 9-1-1

FOX

Maddie did stay in touch with Buck. What’s their relationship like with her back in L.A.?

It’s good. When she came into the show originally, she had been on a three-year sabbatical basically from being his sister and it damaged their relationship quite a bit. Ever since facing their parents and going through all the stuff that they went through and then telling him the truth about Daniel, there’s an unspoken thing between Maddie and Buck now that they won’t do that again. She can run and he can mess things up, but they will always try hard for each other. That’s why Maddie made sure she stayed in contact with him again.

It was really important for her to leave, but not have him feel that again like she did in her marriage and in the stuff that she went through with Doug. When she gets back, he’s open arms. He’s happy that she’s well or on her way and trying and that she’s there, which is beautiful. I think Maddie needs somebody like that after Boston, and it was really nice that they allow him to be that person.

I feel like he’s gonna need her though, too, with everything going on with Taylor [Megan West] and Lucy [Arielle Kebbel].

Oh, he always needs her. [Laughs] Buck needs somebody to be like, “Dude, what is happening?” He’s always up to something.

Will Maddie offer him any advice?

I don’t think she comes back as the person who feels like she’s in a position to give people life advice, but he is gonna be happy to have her there to talk to. It’s a sweet reunion when they see each other again for the first time. It’s what you want it to be, which is nice.

9-1-1, Mondays, 8/7c, Fox