Was Kenneth Choi ready to say goodbye? Here’s why the 9-1-1 star fought Bobby’s shocking death
Kenneth Choi, who plays firefighter Howard 'Chimney' Han on ABC’s 9-1-1, opened up about his emotional reaction to the recent on-screen death of Captain Bobby Nash, played by Peter Krause. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly dated April 18, 2025, Choi revealed how Bobby’s death affected him after spending eight years working alongside Krause.
Bobby’s tragic end, which aired on April 17, 2025, in episode 15, came as a shock not only to fans but to the cast itself. Choi admitted he cried after learning about Bobby’s death from showrunner Tim Minear, initially thinking it was a cruel joke.
He said:
"I mean, I f---ing filmed it and I was still sobbing uncontrollably with my friend for like three or four minutes, to the point where I started to laugh at myself, because it was uncontrollable sobbing. I was laughing at myself, saying, I don't know what is happening! I know this isn’t real! Why am I acting like this? But it was devastating to me."
Choi’s reaction, both on and off screen, shows how deeply the 9-1-1 cast is bonded, and how losing Bobby marks the end of a chapter in their story.
Kenneth Choi talks about coming to terms with Bobby's death in 9-1-1 season 8
Kenneth Choi, who has portrayed Chimney since the early days of 9-1-1, revealed that coming to terms with Bobby’s death was far more difficult than he anticipated. While the event was scripted, its emotional weight felt very real to Choi, who described his reaction as uncontrollable sobbing, despite knowing it was fictional.
The moment wasn’t just about losing a castmate, it was about saying goodbye to a character who had become a paternal anchor for the entire firehouse. Choi admitted he initially went through a full cycle of grief, starting with denial.
He had hoped the decision would be reversed, even holding on to that hope during the funeral scenes.
Creatively, showrunner Tim Minear explained the arc as a natural end to Bobby’s journey, one that offered redemption for his troubled past, but that didn’t make the goodbye any easier.
For Choi, it felt like a personal loss. He had spent years building a layered relationship with Krause’s character, which made Bobby’s sacrifice more hurtful.
In upcoming episodes, Chimney’s grief is expected to take center stage, as he grapples with his anger, guilt, and the absence of the team’s leader.
What happened to Bobby Nash on 9-1-1?
In 9-1-1 season 8, Bobby Nash meets a tragic end that shakes the foundation of Station 118. In a two-part storyline, the team is called to a biotech research facility that has been deliberately set on fire by a rogue scientist, Moira.
The situation escalates when it’s revealed that the lab housed a lethal, mutated strain of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), turning the scene into a biohazard.
While rescuing his team, Bobby discovers that Chimney has been exposed and is critically ill. With only one dose of an experimental cure available, Bobby ensures it goes to Chimney. As the others evacuate, Bobby stays behind to secure the area, unaware that a breach in his breathing apparatus has left him exposed to the virus.
The consequences are swift and irreversible. Despite his calm exterior, Bobby succumbs to the infection after rescuing his team and saying his goodbyes. As a captain, mentor, and father figure, Bobby's final act is self-sacrifice, embodying the redemption he had long sought.
Stay tuned for more updates on 9-1-1.
