Brian Tee is stepping into a new role. On March 29, the actor will make his directorial debut on NBC‘s “Chicago Med,” the medical drama that he starred on for eight seasons as Dr. Ethan Choi. He made his final appearance on the ninth episode of Season 8, which aired December 7.
Although this is his first time directing, he’s been interested for years. When he landed the show in 2015, a friend gave him a piece of advice he carries with him: “It’s gonna be an amazing experience and a wonderful ride.”
“I took that to heart. In Season 2, I started shadowing directors,” Tee tells Variety. So, when he chose to walk away from the show in 2022, he made a request to direct. “It was not necessarily an easy yes. I’m sure there’s a bit of a hesitation. But I think everyone has known that I’ve been wanting to do this. It wasn’t just something new, out of the blue. It’s been something I’ve been working toward. So I asked, ‘If I’m going to come back and do nine episodes, I would love to come back and direct one.'”
When he wrapped “ChicMed” on Halloween and returned to set in mid-January, it was a similar feeling to coming back to the show after a hiatus or holiday break.
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“There weren’t any nerves. It was really fun to come back and see everyone. It felt like jumping back into the swing of things, obviously in a completely different role, but to be back with the cast and crew was just a lot of fun and really a wonderful experience to be a part of, especially from this point of view,” says Tee. “It’s bittersweet to say goodbye but I don’t think it’s ever a real goodbye. It’s a see you later. Our paths will cross. It’s what we do, as far as artists or actors are concerned — and even directors or writers. There will always be an end and there will always be a goodbye, but you make certain relationships that last forever. That’s what you hang your hat on.”
Over the course of Tee’s career, he was often pigeon-holed into playing Asian villains in both film and television. Being able to play a Navy veteran and successful doctor who went on to become the chief of emergency medicine on “Med” changed his life.
“I’ve strived to break certain stereotypes in that sense. And I think at this point, to be able to further that along is something that I’m passionate about,” he says, noting that his next project, Prime Video’s “Expats” with Nicole Kidman, is completely different from his past roles. “He’s a husband and a father, and it’s this wonderful, amazing, heart-wrenching topic.”
As Tee looks ahead, he hopes to keep directing and acting — and may even pop back into “Chicago Med” here and there.
“I enjoy the people. At the end of the day, that’s what really matters,” he says. “I love the cast, I love the crew. To be able to come back and play with them again would just be a joy to do. The door will always be open.”
Tee’s episode of “Chicago Med” airs on NBC Wednesday, March 29, at 8 p.m.