You probably know him as T.K. Strand. The fiery, resilient, and often trauma-prone paramedic from 9-1-1: Lone Star who captured hearts across five seasons. But if you’re asking who played Tyler Kennedy Strand, the answer is Ronen Rubinstein—and honestly, his real-life story is just as intense as the scripts he filmed in Austin.
Rubinstein didn't just play a role. He lived parts of it.
The Face Behind the Uniform
Ronen Rubinstein is the Israeli-American actor who breathed life into T.K. for the show's entire run. Born in Rehovot, Israel, and raised in Staten Island, New York, Ronen brought a specific kind of East Coast grit to a Texas-based show. It’s why T.K. always felt like a fish out of water in the best way possible.
Before he was saving lives on screen alongside Rob Lowe, Ronen was grinding in the indie film scene. You might have spotted him in Orange Is the New Black as Nathan or leading the horror flick Smiley Face Killers. But it was the "Tarlos" phenomenon—the ship name for T.K. and his onscreen husband Carlos Reyes (played by Rafael Silva)—that turned him into a household name for millions of fans.
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Why Ronen Rubinstein was the Perfect T.K.
Acting is usually about pretending, right? Well, for Ronen, playing Tyler Kennedy Strand was deeply personal. He has been incredibly open about the fact that he struggled with opioid addiction during his own high school years in New York.
When T.K. relapsed in the show's first season, Ronen wasn't just reading lines. He was tapping into a very real, very dark chapter of his own past. He’s gone on record saying that theater literally saved his life by giving him an escape when he was headed down a "bad path." That kind of lived experience is exactly why T.K.’s vulnerability felt so raw. It wasn't "TV acting." It was a guy who knew the weight of those moments.
The "Tarlos" Impact and Coming Out
You can't talk about who played Tyler Kennedy Strand without mentioning the cultural shift the character represented. T.K. was a rare leading man: an openly gay, masculine first responder whose sexuality was a fact, not a "very special episode" plot point.
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In 2021, inspired by the fan response to T.K., Ronen actually came out as bisexual in real life. He credited the character and the supportive 9-1-1 fandom for giving him the courage to be his authentic self. It’s one of those rare cases where the role actually changed the actor as much as the actor changed the role.
Life After Lone Star: What’s Next?
Now that 9-1-1: Lone Star has wrapped its final season on Fox, people are wondering where Ronen went. He hasn't gone far. In late 2025, it was announced that Ronen joined the cast of the CBS spinoff S.W.A.T. Exiles as a series regular. He’s trading the paramedic shears for tactical gear, but he’s staying firmly within the high-stakes procedural world that he clearly excels in.
Beyond the screen, he's busy being a dad—yep, he and his wife Jessica Rose welcomed a baby recently—and pushing hard for climate activism. He’s an ambassador for The Ocean Cleanup, a cause he took up after his family lost everything to Hurricane Sandy back in 2012.
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Quick Facts You Might Not Know
- The Musical Side: He’s the frontman for a rock band called Nights in Stereo.
- The Early Days: His first big break was in the 2011 film Detachment starring Adrien Brody.
- The Name: While everyone calls him T.K. on the show, the character was named after his uncle, Tyler Strand, who died during the 9/11 attacks in the show’s lore.
How to Follow His Career Now
If you’re missing T.K. Strand, your best bet is to keep an eye on S.W.A.T. Exiles or dive into his older horror work like Dead of Summer. He’s also incredibly active on social media, where he frequently shares updates on his environmental work and life as a new father.
To truly understand the legacy of the actor who played Tyler Kennedy Strand, look at the way he used his platform. He didn't just take the paycheck; he used the role to advocate for LGBTQ+ representation and addiction recovery. That’s the kind of career longevity that goes way beyond a single TV show.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check out the film It Felt Like Love (2013) to see Ronen's early breakout performance, or follow The Ocean Cleanup to see the environmental work he supports off-camera.