‘9-1-1’s Tim Minear on Casting Chris O’Donnell for ‘Nashville’ Spinoff

The world of 9-1-1 is expanding on ABC, with a new spinoff set for the 2025-2026 season. And the first role for 9-1-1: Nashville has been cast with Chris O’Donnell.

O’Donnell will play Captain Don Sharpe, a rugged fire captain and rodeo rider who runs Nashville’s busiest firehouse with his beloved son. Don’s a devoted husband and family man but he has his secrets. When TV Insider spoke with 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear, we had to find out what made him right for the role.

“I think he actually fits into this franchise in an interesting way, and I think it’ll be fun for him, too, because he was so great on NCIS: LA,” Minear said, referencing the CBS drama on which O’Donnell played Special Agent G. Callen for 14 seasons. (NCIS: LA ended in 2023).

“But I think he’ll be able to do different things on Nashville because we all know Chris O’Donnell is also very funny,” he continued. “I’ve been following him since he was a really young guy. One of my favorite movies is with him and Jessica Lange. It is called Men Don’t Leave. If you’ve never seen this movie, he plays her son and it is the follow-up from the director who made Risky Business, [Paul Brickman]. I think it’s the only other movie that director directed, and Chris O’Donnell is so good in this movie and Jessica Lange is just lights out great. And it’s just a great movie and I think you should check it.”

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'9-1-1: Nashville': Chris O'Donnell to Lead Spinoff

9-1-1: Nashville comes from writers and executive producers Ryan Murphy, Tim Minear and Rashad Raisani. When TV Insider spoke with Raisani about the 9-1-1: Lone Star series finale, he told us how Nashville will be different from the other two shows in the franchise.

“It will still hopefully feel like our DNA, but in the same way that Lone Star was different than 9-1-1 and had its own feel, I think that if we can get this right, this will have its own feel,” he said.

What do you think of Chris O’Donnell’s casting? Let us know in the comments section below.

9-1-1: Nashville, Series Premiere, 2025, ABC

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