(NASHVILLE, Tenn) — WKRN News Channel 2 Chief Meteorologist, Danielle Breezy is set to make her television acting debut in ABC’s highly anticipated “Nashville 9-1-1” series, bringing her real-world weather expertise to the small screen in a role that feels like a natural fit.
The casting opportunity came about in an unexpectedly organic way during a particularly intense weather period in Nashville. Danielle was working around the clock during severe weather coverage and it just so happens that visiting television producers were watching her do what she does best.
“We had a ton of severe weather that one week in the springtime where I think everyone didn’t sleep a couple days, and we were on the air nonstop,” Danielle explained. The “Nashville 9-1-1” staff and head producers happened to be in Nashville scouting locations during this time, and they had to take shelter in their hotel basement multiple times while watching Danielle’s weather coverage.
Impressed by what they saw, the producers made their decision quickly: “They were like, ‘we want her as our meteorologist,'” Danielle recalled.
Danielle was the first person they requested, followed by her co-anchor Bob Mueller, who was also cast to do some news reading segments for the series.
The filming experience was both exciting and challenging for the seasoned meteorologist. “It was only a one day shoot, very quick, easy,” but it required new skills she wasn’t accustomed to.
With some lines to memorize, hair and makeup at her service and a few outfit changes, Danielle was stepping into one of her biggest roles yet.
“I talk off the top of my head, so that’s a new kind of skillset.. remembering the lines and then saying them in front of all these people,” Danielle noted about adapting to scripted television.
True to her expertise, Danielle plays herself as a meteorologist predicting tornado activity, which fits perfectly with Tennessee’s weather patterns. The producers even allowed her creative input, letting her add additional lines to make the dialogue more authentic.
She appears in dramatic fire scenes where firefighters are watching her weather coverage on television, adding realism to the emergency response storylines that are central to the 9-1-1 franchise.
During filming, Danielle had the chance to meet several cast members, including LeAnn Rimes and Hunter McVey. She noted that Hunter, who is also from Nashville, is “doing extremely well” and predicted he’ll be “another rising star.”
The series debuts tonight on ABC and Hulu Live, and Danielle couldn’t be more excited about representing Nashville on national television. “I’m really excited for the debut and just to see it and to see Nashville, our own city featured in such a cool way,” she shared.
The casting represents a growing trend of using real local professionals in television dramas to add authenticity to storylines. For Danielle, it’s a perfect blend of her meteorological expertise with the entertainment world, all while showcasing her beloved Nashville.
9-1-1 Nashville premieres tonight on ABC or stream on Hulu at 9/8c.
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