Chris O’Donnell on Which ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Costars He Wants on ‘9-1-1: Nashville’ (Exclusive)

Chris O’Donnell revealed which of his former Grey’s Anatomy castmates he’d like to see appear on his latest project, 9-1-1: Nashville.

O’Donnell, 55, recently caught up with PEOPLE exclusively during the 9-1-1 premiere at the W Hotel in Nashville on Oct. 7. During the conversation, the actor, who played one of Meredith’s love interests on Grey’s seasons 2 and 3 in the mid-2000s, shared who he thought might “fit in” on his new show.

“They were all great,” O’Donnell says of the Grey’s cast. “I mean, Sandra [Oh] … There’s so many talented actors. Patrick [Dempsey] used to live in my neighborhood. I haven’t seen him in forever. … Ellen [Pompeo].”

“Ellen’s still doing the show, I think, or at least part-time. It’s been, I think, what, 20, 25 years?” he adds of Grey’s Anatomy, which is in its 22nd season after premiering 20 years ago in 2005.

The actor is already costarring in 9-1-1: Nashville with one of his former Grey’s colleagues: Jessica Capshaw, 49, who he also worked with in the Boston-based legal drama The Practice.

“We, you know, overlapped on a couple different shows, which is a small world,” he says of the coincidence while speaking to PEOPLE.

9-1-1: Nashville is the third and most recent series in the 9-1-1 universe. The original 9-1-1 premiered in 2018 and takes place in L.A., and was followed by 9-1-1: Lone Star in 2020, which follows a team of first responders in Austin, Texas.

The Batman & Robin star went on to discuss his approach to the new series, noting that all an actor can do is work hard and stay focussed — because the rest is out of their hands.

“All you can do is prepare and go in with the attitude that I’m gonna work as hard as I can and prepare as hard as I can, and let’s hope people tune in. … I can’t tell you how many shows have the best writers, directors, actors you ever heard of, and you’re like, ‘How is that not a hit?’ “ he says.

“There’s no rhyme or reason to this. It really is lightning in a bottle,” he adds.

The new show shoots on location in Tennessee, and O’ Donnell shared that he has a particular affinity for the city.

“I think Nashville’s a great city,” he says.

He continues, “The thing that I keep thinking about is [that] I’ve never walked through an airport where there’s live music in every restaurant … I remember the first time I walked down Broadway and everyone’s like, ‘You gotta go down and see all the honky tonks.’ They’re not kidding. They’re 10 feet wide, they’re three stories high, and every floor has a live band.”

“I can’t comprehend how there’s that much talent in the city,“ he says, adding, “And it’s such a thin line between who makes it and who doesn’t. You know, there’s so many talented people that will never get that chance.”

9-1-1: Nashville airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and is available to stream on Hulu.