Malcolm-Jamal Warner knew everything when he guest starred. 9-1-1 It was for him to play the role of a “villain.”
“That really intrigued me.” cosby show and resident alum says entertainment weekly. “And I've never done a show where I had to wear a prosthetic leg, so this definitely felt like something that would take me out of my comfort zone and I thought it was exciting.”
And playing Amir on ABC's first responder drama certainly accomplished that. Through conversations with showrunner Tim Minear, Warner created a complex character. He lost his wife 10 years ago in a fire accidentally set by Bobby (Peter Krauss), and now works as a traveling nurse, keeping the scars of that tragedy etched in his heart. He has both face and heart.
In Season 7, Episode 8, “Step 9,” which aired on Thursday, Amir reveals his relationship with Bobby at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Seeking redemption, Bobby ends up tracking Amir along the Mexico-U.S. border. There, Amir gets into trouble with a local drug cartel. Suffering from a gunshot wound, Amir is forced to turn to the only man he wants no part of for help.
Reflecting on the harrowing episode, Warner spoke to EW about his bond with Klaus during filming, how he feels now that he has a prosthetic leg, and what the rest of the season holds.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did Amir's character evolve after his initial conversation with Tim about him being a “villain”?
I think what really came out was his humanity. You have a man who, thanks to his own experience, is a healer of sorts. He is a man who is helping others, alleviating their suffering as a way of alleviating his own. He's going down this path with humanity, but suddenly he's faced with all of the anger and resentment he's built up over the years. It was an interesting experience of having to face our own demons.
Amir chooses to confront Bobby publicly. That's an intense speech.
It was a three-page monologue that I finally got on Saturday night and had to shoot on Monday. Sunday was spent getting the lines in order, and…it was his second day at work, so Peter and I didn't have time to bond or really connect. So it was cool to be able to take advantage of that. Amir has this relationship with this guy, and for me as an actor, I was able to find this relationship and this relationship with Peter at the same time. That was Amir's experience, and it was Malcolm's experience as well.
Well, there was enough time to film the rest of the episode in the desert…
Being miserable with someone is much better than being miserable alone. Man, everything was tough in that episode. It was very tiring, but I think Peter and I laughed a lot because we had this common experience. We were in Antelope Valley for four days or five days, so we knew we had to get through that. But as difficult as the shooting conditions were – sand, wind, heat, cold, discomfort – it felt like all of that was happening every time we started filming and every time we appeared on camera. Discomfort affected our interactions. I felt like I was doing a good job throughout, and I think we were both satisfied that we were able to overcome the discomfort of the shooting conditions.
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You must have been excited to wear a prosthetic leg for the first time. Have you thought about it now that you've finished it? The Antelope Valley sun doesn't get any cooler than this.
Well, the first two days were great. I was taking videos and photos. So when I had to start wearing it for the third and fourth day in a row, I think I thought, “This isn't fun.” It was two and a half hours every morning. When you think about it, Star Trek I don't envy actors and actresses who continue to work and spend four or five hours just doing makeup.
The episode ends with Bobby and Amir seemingly coming to a place where they can each move forward separately, albeit without forgiveness. But Tim said Amir will play a key role in the season's final episode. What can you tease about it?
Oh, come on…that means it's not the pretty bow-tied ending one might expect. [laughs]
9-1-1 It airs Thursdays at 8pm ET on ABC.