Oliver Stark says he will continue to battle bisexual stigma in next season of 9-1-1
"I know there are a lot of people that think things like, you know, bisexual men are just too scared to come out as gay," says Stark as he confronts that this is not realty
By Aaron Sugg
Oliver Stark, who plays Evan Buckley on 9-1-1, has shared that season nine will dive deeper into his character’s bisexuality, continuing to battle closeted gay male stigma.
The actor’s character, known to most as Buck, has been part of the high-stakes first-responders series since its inception in 2018.
Recent news confirms he is actively filming the show’s upcoming ninth season, which is set to premiere 16 October 2025.
“I’m really super proud of getting to be part of this storyline” – Oliver Stark on 9-1-1 Evan Buckley bisexual character arc
Speaking on Instagram story to mark Bisexual Day of Visibility (23 September), Stark revealed, “One of my biggest joys of playing Buck over the past eight/nine seasons is getting to tell the story of him discovering his bisexuality.”
He continued, “I hope, truly, that we have offered up some kind of positive representation. I’m really super proud of getting to be part of this storyline.”
“I’m really super proud of getting to be apart of this storyline” OLIVER POSTING ABOUT BI VISIBILITY DAY WHILE WORKING OUT OMG 😭 pic.twitter.com/lOWYOO6CrO
— Cherry ☆︎ 911 ☆︎ BI BUCK (@ravibuckleydiaz) September 23, 2025
Stark elaborated on Buck’s storyline for the next series, stressing the importance of validating bisexuality: “I know there are a lot of people that think things like, you know, bisexual men are just too scared to come out as gay or whatever it is, and obviously that’s not the case.
“I’m excited to delve deeper and deeper into” – Stark on making a point that bisexual men are not just gay men too afraid to come out
“I really hope we get to hammer home that point this season. I’m excited to delve deeper and deeper into it. It’s just such an honour to get to be a part of telling this story, so thank you guys.”
Some fans are wondering what this means for Bucks character arc, with one commenting on X: “Wait ‘hammering the point that bisexual is not gay’ does that mean buck got a girlfriend this season.”
Another wrote: “They better not give him a girlfriend next season cuz he already had to many we need an equal balance [sic].”
@zachsangshow Oliver Stark has always thought his character Buck on 9–1–1 was bisexual #oliverstark #evanbuckley #bisexual🏳️🌈 #911 #zachsangshow #zachsang #fyp #foryou @Amazon Music @Zach Sang @Dan Zolot @911onABC ♬ original sound – Zach Sang Show
Buck’s sexuality was explored in a queer storyline following a significant moment introduced in season seven, where he kisses fellow firefighter Tommy Kinard played by Lou Ferrigno Jr.
Speaking on the Zach Sang Show podcast in 2024, the 34-year-old actor said: “The way that I have always intentionally played him was that he was seeking something in his life, and he didn’t know what it was.”
On the queer storyline, he continued: “Yes, that’s the thing that he has been looking for… I’m super thankful… and the response has been amazing, like genuinely.”
“I have had firefighters message me” – Stark on the impact his bisexual character has had on the queer firefighting community
Speaking on the positive messages he has received from men in the firefighting industry, he said: “I have had firefighters message me and tell me, ‘I’m not out but seeing your portrayal of Buck and seeing them move the story in this direction is really huge for me.'”
Fans have long speculated about a future romance between Stark’s character and his on-screen best friend Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman), popularly known as ‘Buddie’.
Showrunner Tim Minear told Entertainment Weekly in March that an upcoming episode will highlight Buck and Eddie’s relationship, if it serves “the right story to tell.”