Hunter McVey's acting debut on the hit series 9-1-1 Nashville has been filled with awkward moments, to say the least.
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If you've seen the show's pilot, you may recall the scene when a male stripper dressed as a firefighter helps the 113 during an emergency. It's a memorable moment because that dancer is the son of Chris O'Donnell's character Don.
It was also an unforgettable moment for McVey because not only did he have no previous acting experience, but he had never stripped before.
"9-1-1 Nashville" Is the Acting Debut of Hunter McVey
McVey started out as a model and fitness influencer before "making the push" as "bad boy" Blue Bennings. He also hosted the podcast Wholesome Degenerate.
The physically demanding role appears to be a perfect fit for the 6'4" Tennessee native. And while he's been shirtless plenty of times on Instagram, he was nervous about stripping for the camera. Sure, he had a coach to help him learn the technical aspects of removing his clothes for women, but that didn't mean it was a breeze.
"That threw me for a loop," he said on a recent Instagram post. "I do two choreography lessons. We do it to this song, work with [choreographer] Jase, I memorize some moves, I'm practicing the entire weekend."
Things Changed Quickly On Set
Once McVey was on set, everyone realized that the timing of the sequence had to be changed. This meant everything McVey had practiced had to be thrown out the door.
"They said string with instinct," he said with a laugh. "I'm like, 'I don't have any instinct!'"
He added, "We go up there and I do the first two or three [takes], the music is playing, and I barely remember the first two. The third one, I was like, 'Okay, I didn't die. Maybe I can smile and it will look a little bit better.'"
But perhaps the most awkward moment came when the director needed to film scenes with no sound.
"I'm doing it with no music, and the three hundred people in there are screaming in silence," he says with a smile. "I'm getting up there with no choreography, no music, stripping with instinct, stripping in silence."
While we can't relate to McVey's experience, this certainly seems less awkward than the question his on-screen mom, LeAnn Rimes, received earlier this week. Still, the two have become fast friends.
"I get to bring my fiancé, Julia, to the set, and she gets to bring her husband, Eddie," he said. "It's a really cool dynamic to have both of our partners there that are so supportive, and we all get along great!"
Check out the rest of the video below.
