If you tuned into 9-1-1‘s history-making 100th episode on April 4, your head is likely still spinning from everything that went down. On top of delivering 9-1-1‘s highly-anticipated Bachelor crossover AND making long-held fandom dreams come true by writing a monumental same-sex kiss for Buck, the milestone episode also brought back Athena’s son, Harry Grant, and surprised fans by recasting the role.
It’s been a while since Harry has been home, so fans were expecting the character to appear older. But if you thought Harry looked noticeably different during Season 7, Episode 4, “Buck, Bothered and Bewildered,” you’re not alone! Even Athena (Angela Bassett) barely recognized her own boy, and it’s because actor Elijah M. Cooper took over the role from Marcanthonee Reis.
Curious why 9-1-1 recast Harry Grant? Why Marcanthonee Reis left 9-1-1? Or who new 9-1-1 cast member Elijah M. Cooper is?
Here’s everything you need to know about 9-1-1 Season 7’s casting shakeup.
Why Did 9-1-1 Recast Harry Grant Actor Marcanthonee Reis?
Marcanthonee Reis played Harry Grant since 9-1-1 Season 1 premiered in 2018, with IMDb crediting him for 74 episodes over the first six seasons. So why didn’t he return in Season 7?
9-1-1 co-creator and Season 7 showrunner Tim Minear told TVLine that Reis “was sort of ready to move on,” explaining, “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.”
For those wondering, Minear also confirmed that the in-show comments about barely recognizing Harry were intentional and all in good fun. “Part of this story is about not recognizing your own kid, so it also felt like not a pun and not a joke,” he told TVLine. “If you’re going to bring in a new actor in a beloved role, you want to acknowledge the fact that something has changed. So it felt like an organic way to introduce this new Harry into a story where Athena is saying, ‘I look at my kid, he’s grown so much and I kind of don’t recognize him.’”
Who Is Elijah M. Cooper, The Actor Who Plays Harry Grant In 9-1-1 Season 7?
Now that Cooper has taken over the role and appears to be sticking around for a bit, considering Harry has to complete community service under Athena’s watch, let’s get to know the new 9-1-1 cast member.
Per IMDb, Elijah M. Cooper kicked off his on-screen career in 2018 in an episode of Murder Chose Me and has gone on to star in a number of TV series and films over the years, including That Girl Lay Lay, Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!, Evil, Chicago P.D., The Rookie, and more. Cooper also has three upcoming projects listed, including Almost Popular, Summer Gold, and Goosebumps Season 2.
Want to learn more about Cooper? You can follow the actor on Instagram at @realelijahmcooper and tune in for more 9-1-1 Season 7, of course.
New episodes of 9-1-1 premiere Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu.
