Before Arielle Kebbel was saving lives as a lifeguard on Fox’s new drama Rescue: HI-Surf, she was a first responder on another (then Fox) show, 9-1-1. (The series has since moved over to ABC starting with its seventh season.)
Kebbel played firefighter Lucy across 10 episodes in Seasons 5 and 6, working alongside then with the 118 — and causing some trouble in Buck’s (Oliver Stark) love life. While out for drinks celebrating an impressive rescue, she kissed him. His response? Rather than tell his girlfriend at the time, Taylor (Megan West), he asked her to move in. Needless to say, their relationship fell apart (and not just because of Lucy and that kiss). Kebbel was last seen in the Season 6 finale as part of the emergency that saw the entire 118 in trouble. So, when TV Insider caught up with Kebbel to talk about Rescue: HI-Surf, we had to ask if there’s any chance of seeing her on 9-1-1 again.
“I love that people still talk about me on that show. I’ll be honest, a lot of the 9-1-1 fans I thought hated Lucy. I thought that, I don’t know, people were so mad at her for kissing Buck, which really wasn’t her fault,” she noted.
“I loved playing her, and I loved being a part of that ensemble. Oh my gosh, they welcomed me with open arms. We had so many good laughs,” recalled Kebbel. “Now more than ever, any way to honor first responders, and of course firefighters, is an important act of respect. But I don’t know. I would love to. I guess I’m just pleasantly surprised people still ask about it because I felt like when I was on the show.”
She also shared that playing Lucy helped prepare her for the role of Em on Rescue: HI-Surf and there was a special connection to playing a firefighter for her.
“Actually, taking on the show, I had a big fear of fire. Half my house burned down when I was a child, and I remember I was screaming for 9-1-1,” Kebbel revealed. “I’ve always had such a respect — firefighters for me have been heroes since I was five years old, and so to be able to play one was so important to me. And so yeah, I would always go back.”
Would you want to see Lucy pop up again? If so, how? Let us know in the comments section below.
