‘9-1-1: Lone Star’: Brian Michael Smith on His Hopes for Paul in Season 4
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Paul Strickland, a trans firefighter at the 126 on 9-1-1: Lone Star, went through quite a few challenges last season. After suffering hypothermia, he was diagnosed with severe arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat). He managed to return to work but is he out of the woods yet?
Recently, TV Insider caught up with Paul’s portrayer, Brian Michael Smith, at the second annual queer television festival The OutFronts in Hollywood. We chatted with the actor about what he’d like to see when the show returns for Season 4 next year, how Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black) encouraged him to seek a career in the performing arts, and more. Read on for the scoop!
Do you see any representation on TV when you were growing up?
Brian Michael Smith: As a trans person, not really. As a black person, we had The Cosby Show and the ‘90s sitcoms Martin and Living Single. With those shows, I felt I part of me was being represented but I didn’t really start to see any true [trans] reputation until 2013 when I saw Laverne Cox in Orange Is the New Black. When I got to see her storyline played out, I was motivated as an actor to tell stories that are more a part of my experience.
What feedback do you get from the trans community on your role on 9-1-1: Lone Star?
I try to leave open direct messages on my social media accounts. That allows people to reach out to me. People have said I’ve given them strength to come out to their parents or at work. It helps me to know what I do matters beyond my own desires as an artist.
Jordin Althaus/FOX
You had a big season last year. What would you like to see happen next season?
Paul went through a lot! He got hyperthermia and dealt with his heart issues and was triggered by things that happened in his past with his father dying early in life. I want to go further and see how this change in his health is going to impact how he does his job. We’ve seen him return to his job, but what is the psychological impact of facing his own mortality?
When you read about Paul’s heart issue in the script did you think, ‘What?? I’ve got a heart problem?’
[Laughs] I was like, “Hey, let’s find out what’s going on here!” I didn’t know whether or not Paul was going to be able to continue to do his job. It was heart-pounding to go through that — no pun intended. I wanted to see what are the effects going to be.
Early on in the series, Paul had a potential love interest. Josie, played by Angel Parker. She said that, at least for now, she couldn’t get past Paul being trans. Would you like to see that relationship revisited?
I really, really would. I love working with [Angel]. She is an amazing, amazing actress. I felt there something very natural to the way they connected. It’d be great for her to come back. She said she wasn’t ready right now. We want the audience to take the journey with the characters. I like how their conversation unfolded. [Josie] responded in a very honest way. It was great that she could be honest. It wasn’t the best outcome for either of them but it was great to see them being honest. It’d be great to see the follow up to that.
On dating apps, there are categories to click but Paul and Josie didn’t meet that way.
No. There are expectations sometimes that trans people owe disclosure right away, but there is the issue of safety. How do you figure out if this is a safe conversation to have with a person?
9-1-1: Lone Star, Season 4, 2023, Fox
