Oliver Stark Reveals the ‘Biggest Joy’ of Playing Buck on ‘9-1-1’

Oliver Stark marked Bi Visibility Day with a special message to fans of his 9-1-1 character, Buck.

The British actor, 34, shared a shirtless workout video to Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Sept. 23, in which he said “one of my biggest joys of playing Buck” on the Ryan Murphy-created series has been “getting to tell the story of him discovering his bisexuality.”

“I hope, truly, that we have offered up some kind of positive representation,” he continued. “I’m really super proud of getting to be a part of this storyline.”

Stark went on to say he hopes to “hammer home” the storyline more in the upcoming ninth season, adding, “I’m excited to delve deeper and deeper into it.”

“It’s just such an honor to get to be a part of telling this story, so thank you guys,” he concluded.

After years of only dating women, Buck had his first romantic moment with a man in season 7 when he kissed Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) during 9-1-1‘s milestone 100th episode.

Unfortunately for Buck, things with Tommy didn’t end up working out.

Following the same-sex kiss, Stark took to Instagram Stories at the time to address the scene.

While he said he was “humbled and overwhelmed by the positive reaction to Buck’s storyline” and that he’d “read so many of your messages and I couldn’t be happier,” he had a few thoughts for critics of the romantic moment.

“If you are one of the smaller group of people commenting on my posts about how this has ruined the show. I would like you to know that I truly don’t care,” he wrote.

“This is a show about love and inclusion. It’s featured queer relationships from the very beginning including a beautiful Black lesbian marriage played out by two of the best actresses I’ve ever watched,” he continued, referencing Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Karen (Tracie Thoms).

“If one other character finding a new facet to his sexuality and realising his bisexuality is your deal breaker – I fear you’ve missed the entire point of the show,” he concluded. “You are not required to announce your departure.”

9-1-1 is set to return for its ninth season on Oct. 9, marking its first season without longtime star Peter Krause, whose character, Bobby, died toward the end of the previous season.

The premiere episode will see the 118 fire station — including Athena (Angela Bassett), Chimney (Kenneth Choi), Eddie (Ryan Guzman), Hen and Buck — come together to dedicate the firehouse in Bobby’s memory, per the official synopsis.

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9-1-1 season 9 premieres Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.