9-1-1's Harry Grant: Why the Recast Happened and What's Next!
The 9-1-1 Recast: Why Marcanthonee Reis Left Harry Grant Behind
Fans of 9-1-1 were surprised when Harry Grant returned in season 7 looking completely different! That’s because Marcanthonee Reis was replaced by Elijah M. Cooper! Reis was great, and played the role of Athena's son for a good run of episodes – from the pilot (Season 1, Episode 1) until “Outside Looking In” (Season 5, Episode 11) !
Reis' career began in 2011, he gained his big break on 9-1-1, appearing in several minor, memorable roles on big-name shows before his appearance on 9-1-1; those credits include Parenthood, Glee, Grey’s Anatomy and other films! This amazing accomplishment and his contributions made the viewers like Harry very quickly! But he moved on to other things and there were some difficulties he faced after disappearing from 9-1-1.
Why the Change? The Actor's Decision
After a brief absence, Harry pops up; and Athena even comments that her own son now looks entirely different, completely showcasing what this casting change involved; and this change has generated much controversy surrounding 9-1-1’s production. This season was not just about the shift but the larger details which completely and entirely contributed toward Reis’s choice: his own career ambitions were too vast and simply required further improvement.
Tim Minear (co-creator and showrunner) clarified the reason in an interview with TVLine, ”I reached out to Marcanthonee, who hadn’t been around for a minute, and I pitched him this story. I think he loved the story, but was just ready to do something new.” It demonstrates this point effectively. Reis had simply moved on to pursuing different kinds of projects! He chose not to continue the role. The simple reason and explanation completely removes the possibility of assuming something nefarious occurred during the change. Cooper's portrayal as Harry, across a small handful of appearances really worked at capturing something similar from the earlier actor’s version, showing both youthful energy yet increased maturity that would've been expected considering the timeline’s forward movement in those scenes.
The Actors' Other Roles: Beyond 9-1-1
Let’s look outside 9-1-1! Reis did big things, notably in Snowpiercer (Bong Joon-ho's awesome film) and other cool credits (Grey’s Anatomy, I Do… Until I Don’t, and A Tale of Two Coreys), highlighting those varied roles and the versatility shown through that impressive resume!
And Cooper is an exciting actor with a massive resume. This actor's other notable works also includes those impressive, notable credits such as Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!, Chicago P.D., and That Girl Lay Lay, highlighting a certain degree of ambition as this young actor is extremely capable and makes some seriously impressive acting choices, unlike some earlier actors, demonstrating what kind of acting variety exists here.
Harry Grant's Future: Will He Return in Season 8?
Harry’s arc ended with his return (this part demonstrates the significant conclusion regarding earlier seasons; and showing those resolutions in season 7). He gets community service due to admitting responsibility in his role within that prior fight – the events that involved his exile in Season 5. His last appearance happens in “All Fall Down” (Season 7, Episode 10), but nothing has really appeared regarding the details concerning his possible appearance.
There are strong implications, hinting that Cooper's run as Harry might’ve also ended; showcasing what kind of plot implications can appear when these recasting changes involve a minor character not meant to become part of those main storylines of 9-1-1. He possibly heads back to Florida. So we’ll probably see another possible return—yet not through another possible recast, unlike what happened with Reis! Fans of Harry must wait and see. Those details may very well depend on whether they see fit in bringing back the character in those later storylines and how relevant his character is deemed to be as this TV drama progresses, especially for Season 8.
Conclusion: A Smooth Transition and an Ambiguous Future!
The Harry Grant recast demonstrates those inherent challenges involved with managing long-running TV shows: actors may grow professionally and may not continue with the series. Reis's departure was simple. Minear's comments remove potential bad blood! The whole transition went remarkably smoothly! The resulting story itself, although only featuring Cooper for a relatively brief cameo, demonstrates that the creative team manages this well. Whether Harry shows up again remains unclear, and it is probably one of those details many would simply love to discover as Season 8 continues and what unexpected storyline changes would affect the drama.
