Ah!
Jon Ecker!
Hey.
How are you?
I'm doing pretty good. How are you doing?
Good.
I don't know if you remember me from back in the "Queen
of the South" days.
Oh yeah, it's been a hot minute, hasn't it?
Well-- and there's no facial hair?
That's the commentary I keep hearing from your fans
while you're on "Chicago Fire."
Where's the facial hair?
I know.
I'm still getting used to it.
It's been a couple of months now.
But you know, I think it was about five years
without being clean shaved.
So I don't know.
It's a change.
OK, so you're currently starting on "Chicago Fire."
Tell us a little bit about Lieutenant Greg Grainger.
Uh, yeah, I play Greg Grainger.
I came in episode four of this season, so it's been--
I think that was around mid-January that started.
And I work at another firehouse in Chicago,
and through a coinciding incident
I came to meet Sylvie Brett played by Kara Killmer.
And we kind of hit it off and we're seeing where that goes.
I feel like the first time he saw--
he saw Sylvie Brett it was like the emojis with the heart eyes.
Do you agree?
Yeah.
Yeah, it was a little bit-- yeah, interest at first sight
kind of thing going on.
And it's-- so it's kind of a weird time for Sylvie.
She's kind of in kind of a will they
won't they with Jesse Spencer's character.
I have all my notes here.
Oh, with Matt Casey.
And so it's kind of like this weird space
where she's like not over this and kind
of interested over here.
Can you talk a little bit about that?
Um, yeah.
It seems that she's kind of figuring things out,
and I'm just waiting around seeing
what happens with that will she won't she kind of thing.
And I don't really know what's going to happen.
We've got to keep watching to find out.
They don't let me know, so I'm kind of
curious to see what she's going to decide
at the end of the day.
Wait a minute.
What do you mean that you're waiting?
Last night y'all hooked up.
Oh well yeah, that's true.
Um--
Let's be clear.
Things have happened.
Well, you know, if it moves beyond that--
that first encounter whether it stays there
or it becomes something a little bit more serious.
We'll have to wait and see what happens.
Well, what are you hoping though since you're
there on a recurring?
Do you want to have a full-time gig at "Chicago Fire?"
Well, I mean, yeah.
Obviously it would be nice to have
a longer run there and see where things
go between Grainger and Brett.
But we'll just have to see where her-- where her emotions lie.
Well, I mean, her emotions maybe lie somewhere else,
but I mean, she was--
she knew where she was last night.
She's trying to work things out last night, yeah.
Well-- but now this is bringing conflict between
Brett and Matt because he--
but I mean, he's been off doing his own thing too to be clear.
Yeah, you know, there's nine seasons of the show,
and I haven't been able to watch the whole run,
so I'm not sure of the whole backstory
with him and the other characters.
But obviously he's got some mixed emotions too that don't
let him commit to Sylvie.
So that's another question that's up in the air.
Lots of cards got to fall into place to see what happens.
OK, so let me catch you up.
Here's the short version.
So Matt was married to Brett's best friend
played by Monica Raymund.
And then she went off to Puerto Rico,
and he just was like over here.
She came back last season.
But I mean, she went back to Puerto Rico.
That thing should be done.
It seems like his heart is still there.
But he kind of was seeing like, oh my god, I kind of have
feelings over here with Sylvie.
And so they had a make-out sesh.
Like you guys, Grainger and Sylvie, went way further,
but they had a make-out sesh.
And then they had the conversation
the following episode where it's like, you know what?
Like she has-- she's sticking to girl
code, which much respect from me.
And she's just like, it's too weird.
That's my best friend.
And then in this episode last night
is where she confronts him and says,
I think you still have feelings for her,
so you need to kind of back off with this guy.
So now you're caught up.
Thank you.
I appreciate that Cliff Notes.
I saw-- I saw the end of last season
and what happened this season before I came on,
so I was aware that Sylvie's making out with him too.
But yeah, I don't know what'll happen.
Maybe-- maybe last night's episode inspires him
to get over that other girl.
So we'll have to wait and see.
I hope so.
I'm cheering for more Grainger personally.
OK, I appreciate that.
Now, tell me-- tell me, have you
been doing any kind of firefighter
training for this role?
Um, you know, I haven't--
from my understanding is, you know,
the other regulars on the show that have been
there for a while, I believe--
I don't know if I'm correct.
But from what I hear they go through an actual kind of boot
camp for learning, you know, what's involved
in being a firefighter.
I've just had to do a little bit kind of things that
are directly related to what I have to do in that episode
and learn the terms and that kind of stuff.
But no training beyond that.
Thankfully whenever we're doing the firefighting
related stuff there's--
a lot of the background and the extras
and the other people in the firehouse
are real life firefighters, and they also
have consulting firefighters on set,
so there's always somebody around to be like am I doing
this half way right, or do I look like an idiot,
or what's going on, or what is that thing?
So I don't feel completely lost.
But no, I haven't gone through proper training by any means.
So there's no future for you to become
a firefighter some day?
Well-- ah, you know, you never know.
Life-- life throws you lots of twists and turns.
So I don't know.
Well, I'm noticing in the comments
we have a lot of "Queen of the South" fans.
I want to let everybody know "Chicago Fire,"
it's currently on its ninth season.
So if you want to kind of catch up with everything that's going
on and then you can support John Ecker here, all of the episodes
are available on Peacock.
And the new episodes air Wednesday nights at 8pm.
And you too-- you too, Jon.
You can catch up with all of the drama that happened before.
You can catch up on Peacock.
I got to get Peacock, yeah.
That's where I'm going to catch up on everything.
I'm reading all the comments too.
They're making up names.
Brainger or Grett.
And then-- and yeah, I think "Queen of the South"
is about to air too.
So I think that's been going to air
in April for people who want to keep supporting those guys.
It's a great group of people.
If we want to-- if we can segue way now into some "Queen
of the South," I was looking at Dailyn posting all these
pictures from set and there was this one photo where we see
James looking up to the sky and he's standing next to Teresa,
and Dylan goes, what do you think is happening here?
And I said, he sees the spirit of Guero.
Thanks for keeping my spirit alive.
I appreciate that.
Hello, always!
And I mean-- and sometimes you have
popped up in these flashbacks.
So it's going to be the final season.
Any chance we can see some Guero in a flashback
or the spirit or something?
Um, you know, I think they've pretty much wrapped
from my understanding, and I haven't been to New Orleans
in a long time.
So unless there's some flashbacks or something
I'm not sure.
But yeah, I somehow managed to work my way
into every season up until now.
So it was a good run.
It's a great group of people, and I'm super happy for them.
Yeah, we were here for all of those seasons.
And so it was always the question,
you know, how when we started the series
we start with the ending.
So it was always so who shot Teresa?
So it's not Guero if you're not back, right?
Yeah I don't think it's me.
I mean, unless-- I don't know.
You know, the things they can do in post-production these days,
who knows?
But yeah, I don't know what happened with the story.
I got to watch season five to find out how it ended.
Yeah, that's me sitting here taking notes
from all my theories like, OK, I used
to think it was Guero that did it, but if you're not there,
then I have to adjust.
It's like, you know, like those football--
Yeah, who knows.
Because they kind of got away from the original book
a while ago.
So yeah, it's-- got to come up with some theory.
But I think it airs in April, so in a few months
you should have your answer.
So you'll definitely be watching?
Yeah, of course.
OK, I want to welcome any of the fans
who are in the comments.
I see one of your biggest fans.
Jereny is in there.
Say hi to Jereny.
It's so hard to follow these while I'm
talking at the same time.
Yeah, I'm trying to see who's in there.
I know.
I'm a professional here, and even I struggle
because they go so fast.
But I wanted to--
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
[SPEAKING SPANISH] Oh, we have people from France too.
Oh, from all over.
I saw-- my family's from Peru.
I saw that there's some people from Lima representing there.
All over.
I did want to ask you.
We had like a little tease of--
that would be able to maybe collaborate a little bit
with David-- is it Eigenberg?
Eigenberg.
One of my favorites on "Chicago Fire."
What do you mean by collaborate?
I mean, we collaborate in the sense
that I'm subbing for him in last night's episode
because he goes on vacation.
No, no. I know.
But I mean like, it was like you guys kind of
talked to each other, and I just wanted to see more interaction.
Like are you coming back?
Is there going to be more there?
Oh yeah. I mean, yeah.
You got to stay tuned.
I'm definitely coming back.
I can't really say what happens.
But we're definitely going to see me and--
Grainger and Sylvie's character move
in one direction or the other.
We've got to wait and see.
I'm still finding it out as we go because I still got
some more episodes to shoot.
Well, with Grainger being more of a presence at the firehouse,
I mean, obviously I feel like he's really just there
for Sylvie, but do you think that
long-term he would want to kind of contribute
to that firehouse?
Um, I don't know.
I mean, that would be good.
But you know, also that kind of makes things difficult.
Whether--
whether Grainger and Brett's character move forward or not,
that would be kind of awkward to be working in the same place.
It could be really nice until it's not.
So that would definitely work out
to have some interesting drama in one way or the other.
Yeah, I was just going to say, we watch
these shows for the drama.
So it would make for some really good drama.
But you agree, right, that he's there for Sylvie?
Yeah.
Yeah, of course.
But it would probably-- you know, it's already
a very stressful environment.
So you know.
But all these characters have had
relationships in the firehouse.
So I would imagine it adds to a little bit--
extra level of stress.
Look, all the existing "Chicago Fire" fans, they
want you to stay.
Well, I appreciate that, guys.
Oh no, they said, I love you, but I love Brettsey,
I guess that's their couple's name.
Oh yeah.
There's lots of people that aren't very happy about me.
It's-- it's crazy.
Every now and then I'll watch on Instagram
and look at tag pictures and there's like Chicago paparazzi
that are checking out where we're filming
and seeing if I'm still around.
And a lot of people don't seem too happy about it,
which is kind of funny.
Well, I think that really goes to the point
of how much people are like so involved
in the One Chicago world.
And you know, when they ship a couple,
like they need it to happen.
But it feels like this is kind of like--
Grainger's coming in to kind of maybe
push Casey into kind of figuring out what he wants.
Getting his shit together. Yeah.
Yeah, I mean, it's great.
I mean, obviously there's a huge fan base, and people--
creates a love-hate relationship.
The writers have done a good job in creating that--
that anticipation.
And I just saw somebody ask about "Firefly Lane."
Are you going to do more?
Season two?
You know what, I don't--
that's up in the air right now.
It's-- you know, it's a weird situation because we--
we wrapped that show 13 months before it aired.
So it was--
Oh, wow.
It seemed almost kind of--
I don't know how to explain it.
When it finally aired because it felt like it
was a lifetime ago that we shot it.
And thankfully it appears to be doing really well.
A lot of people watch it on Netflix.
A lot of people have been reaching out from decades ago,
from high school and stuff, people I haven't talked
to saying they're watching it.
So it's got-- it's definitely got a fan base.
But I think it's still up in the air
whether or not a second season is going to happen or not.
So you know, I'm checking the deadline
updates just like everybody else to see if it gets renewed
or not.
Oh wow.
That's crazy.
Somebody else told me that the other day too.
They were like, listen, we find out when you guys find out,
you know, like in the trades.
I'll probably find out afterwards.
I'll probably get somebody tagging me on the news article
on Instagram or something.
That's how I'll find out.
Well, I really love that you're keeping super busy
and you're on all these projects,
but "Chicago Fire" is like such a special show.
I'm secretly hoping to see you continue on there.
Me too.
I'm very grateful to--
to be working there and especially in these times
to have a job because it's-- you know, it's been tough the last
year for a lot of people.
So I'm lucky in a lot of aspects.
A lot of people in the comments
are mentioning your dad.
I saw him when he was--
I saw him in Mexico City when you were still
doing "Queen of the South."
And I think he was in "El Senor de los Cielos?"
Wasn't he on that?
Yeah, I think we were--
I was doing the pilot while he was out there.
And I think he's--
he's heading back soon for Telemundo,
so all of his fans will be able to see
him pretty soon in Telemundo and in other series'.
Our sister company "People en Espanol"
are on here saying how much they love you and your dad.
I bring him up--
I still have--
I still have somewhere around here a "People an Espanol"
with--
when my little brother was born with my dad
on there holding Liam, my little brother.
It's somewhere around here.
How old is he now?
Like 19.
Oh wow, that was a long time ago.
It--
We need Jon Ecker on a cover.
"People en Espanol," hola!
Oh yeah.
Time flies.
I know.
It really does.
But the reason I brought up your dad is because at the time
I said, oh my god.
Like we've had crossover with "El Senor de los Cielos"
before, with "Queen of the South."
I'm like I would love for you guys
to like act together, interact with each other
like on the show.
Is that something that you'd like to do too?
That would be awesome.
Yeah, you're right.
Because-- because Raf Amaya was on a few episodes
of "Queen of the South."
That would be awesome if somehow we coincided on the same job.
And it's always been mentioned and brought up ever
since I started doing this.
But it just--
I don't know.
It just hasn't happened yet, but one of these days
it's got to happen.
Somebody in the comments would like
to know did you prefer to see Teresa with Guero
or with James?
Of course with me.
I mean, that's-- obviously.
I think?
I don't know if everybody else agrees, but--
but yeah.
I definitely prefer that.
I know for sure that most people were really devastated
when we lost Guero, but that's the way that the cookie
crumbles on that story. - I know.
It's just-- it's just-- you got to keep the drama going.
But yeah, that was great.
That was a great experience.
I miss working with Alice and still talk to her.
I still talk to a lot of people from that show.
So it was a good experience all around.
But yeah, I was definitely bummed when I got killed.
Well, we all were too.
For the second time, yeah.
Yeah, but then he just never went away.
So that's why I kept hoping I think
he's going to pop back in in the end
because he always really does.
Yeah, I think they could do some type of crossover
with the "Walking Dead" and I arise,
and they put as a zombie for the third time on the show.
Oh my god, Pote could be a zombie.
That would be fun.
I'm sure-- I'm sure Hemky would have a lot of fun doing that.
Oh my god, we need to--
I'm going to pitch this to Dailyn so we have a spin-off.
There you go.
That'd be great.
We have a podcast.
It's called "What to Watch."
Jon Ecker, when you're not busy being on all the hottest
shows what are you watching?
You know, I don't watch a lot of TV.
I'm trying to remember what the last thing--
I don't watch a lot of movies.
Usually like one show at a time and I'll
maybe watch an episode a day.
Um, the last one--
I just finished "Wandavision."
And the one before that I was watching-- what is it?
I can't remember the name of shows.
Um, I've been watching "Rescue Me" too,
which whenever I have free time on a plane or something
I'll watch an episode of "Rescue Me,"
but that's an older series.
And that's about it.
I don't watch too much.
OK, well, I know that you're not a super like social media
guy, so I'm super grateful that you
spent some time with me today.
No, I appreciate it.
I also really-- everybody is just like
flailing over like how cute you are
and all these kinds of things.
So I don't see really any more questions.
So--
Well, I appreciate all these people showing
up to watch me talk about this.
Oh my god, everybody was commenting
like when we were posting the ads
like how much they love you.
Like literally when I was watching "Chicago Fire"
because I mean, I cover the One Chicago universe for years,
and then I go, oh my god, is that John Ecker?
And I freaked out on Twitter.
And I'm like Jon Ecker is on "Chicago Fire,"
and everybody was freaking out saying they're going
to watch "Chicago Fire" now.
Oh, that's awesome.
Please keep watching.
Keep watching every Wednesday.
Well, we all love you.
I'm glad to see that you're looking so great
and you're kicking butt and you're bringing the much
needed fire to "Chicago Fire."
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
I appreciate you having me.
And I appreciate everyone coming on to watch us.
Of course.
And just to remind everybody, Wednesday nights
are the new episodes of "Chicago Fire."
He's already teased here that he will be back, so stay tuned.
Thank you. - Awesome.
Thank you so much.
Thanks, guys.
Thanks.
Bye, guys.