‘FBI’: Zeeko Zaki Talks Maggie as OA’s ‘Rock’ After Heartbreaking Twist

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for FBI Season 7 Episode 8 “Riptide.”]

FBI heads into the break for the holidays on a very bleak note: OA’s (Zeeko Zaki) old army buddy (and now CI) Clay (Guy Lockard) working with the team goes wrong in the worst way.

Clay works with the team to track down those responsible for a cargo heist and the murders of three customs officers, but when they get to the goods, Clay turns on OA and tries to make off with the gold himself. OA can’t let him go and ends up with no choice but to shoot (to kill) his friend.

Below, Zaki opens up about that moment, how OA will be dealing with it, OA telling Maggie (Missy Peregrym) about being a prisoner of war (and Clay’s connection), what’s to come in his relationship with Gemma (Comfort Clinton), and more.

I had a feeling that Clay as OA’s CI wasn’t going to end well, but I did not think it was going to go this far. Was this something you had known was coming, or did you find out with the script?

Zeeko Zaki: I found out that it was coming after Episode 3, so we got to do our first two episodes, me thinking, “Oh great, I got my buddy back.” And then I got the news dropped on me that I was going to be ending our relationship and his life at the same time. And that was exciting to play with.

How does OA cope with what he had to do? Because he had no choice, but that and Maggie’s words at the end can only do so much, especially in the immediate aftermath.

Yeah, I think that goes back to the militant mindset, the job that we have to do whatever we have to do to survive and being able to process that in the immediate, I think we’re very good at. We’ll see how it plays out long term.

How are we going to see that playing out long term?

I’m not sure yet. I don’t think we have touched on it yet in the episodes, but these guys experience and go through and deal with death a lot in the line of work. I hope that we do get to kind of see how OA has dealt with it post- everything.

Talk about filming that fight scene and Clay’s death, then also that last scene at the end because it is the physical stuff, but then there’s the emotional component as well.

Yeah, the physical stuff was great, super fun filming the scene. Guy’s a great actor. They really got to honor it, especially with the dialogue, and gave us the freedom to sort of make it our own. And then the scene with Maggie, that’s my sweet spot, when me and Maggie get to be emotional together, it always brings out some stuff. We always find some really good motivations and inspiration and stuff for those scenes. So it was great to get to play it with both of them.

How are you going to see Maggie being there for OA? Is he going to let her?

Yeah, I think Maggie has been and always will be a rock for OA, and he will definitely let her be there for him. That’s one thing that I’ve learned as the character and the actor, that Maggie and Missy know best.

OA opens up to Maggie about his time as a prisoner of war, something I’ve been waiting for.

Yes, yes, yes.

Talk about filming that with Missy.

Yeah, that was great. Again, it’s the combination of both of us and our chemistry in those moments and how she’s so present with me when we get to go into these stories and talk to each other about the personal stuff. So getting to film that, honestly, we did one take on each side and it was just so organic and so real, and especially because I got to tell that story to Gemma and getting to now bring it to Maggie and getting to play off her for it felt really good.

Why do you think it had taken until now for OA to tell Maggie? And if this wasn’t going on with Clay, what would it have taken for him to do so?

I think there’s some insecurities and some vulnerability when it comes to being a prisoner of war that OA experiences and doesn’t want to show that weakness or show that he ever did get caught or ever did sort of fail a mission like that, especially when our relationship is based on doing these missions every week. So I think there’s something like that and I think it would’ve definitely taken a final straw or a real intense, a real down moment for OA to sort of share that. And I’m happy we got to get it out of the way.

OA and Gemma are still going strong. Why do you think that relationship is working?

I think our relationship works because opposites attract and I think between my relationship with Maggie getting to have somebody on the other end of the spectrum that gets to pull me and distract me from the chaotic FBI world, there’s something to be said about that, and getting to kind of be with her and when I’m with her in my mind isn’t on cases and isn’t on the fear and the intensity of my job is really great for OA.

Do you think it’s also because they had the hurdles early on and they got past those?

Yeah, yeah, for sure. I think it was great to play out those hurdles and now how we show our personal stuff in the show leaves a lot for the audience to fill in the blanks and so far so good.

What’s coming up for them? Are we going to see her again this season?

Yes. Yes we are. And we are about to film. You will see her in Episode 13 and it’s going to be very exciting. She’s going to get really some good stuff to sink her teeth into.

What can you tease about what that episode means for their relationship?

It means a lot for the relationship. She gets caught in the fire with OA in a way that I don’t think anyone’s going to see coming and it’s going to be really fun to play.

So does that mean maybe some Gemma-Maggie interactions?

No, but definitely some Gemma bad-guy interactions.

How does OA handle that?

We’ll see. We’ll see. We’re getting the final versions of the script now and we’re going to see how it goes.

So the team is going to be saying goodbye to Syd (Lisette Olivera) at some point, and I’m assuming then it will be back to the drawing board for Scola’s (John Boyd) partner. So what’s next there?

Right now we are a three-headed monster, which is super fun to play because all of our chemistries sort of all fit together, the three of us really well. So we’re excited. Lisette was amazing and it was super fun to get to act with her and play with her, and we’ll see who they bring in next to be part of the family.

Yeah, I like mixing up the pairings, too, because it works so well on this show.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, that’s the sweetest thing about the show is how good we all work together.

What’s your favorite thing about the OA and Scola scenes?

It just feels like those classic sort of buddy cop kind of shows and movies, so it’s always kind of nice to get to play that. And it’s the other end of the spectrum for me and Maggie, so it’s really great.

What else is coming up for OA?

What’s coming up for OA is this next episode with Gemma, that’s going to be really exciting. And then I think we’re going to fall into a few classic sort of cases. And then of course, because all characters get two episodes off this season, we’ll get to see two, I guess, without Maggie coming up in the back end of the season.

How do you think OA has changed the most from Season 1?

Well, I think he’s a lot more comfortable. He’s definitely stronger all the way around and it’s been just super fun to grow as an actor and as a character in those ways.

The CIA officer in the premiere kind of felt like that could come back up. Are we going to see that plot again?

It did feel like that, and that I believe is the idea. Showing how big the world is, showing that we’re dealing with different departments and things like that constantly in organizations is something that we love doing. And that character, he was amazing. So I hope we get to work together soon.

Anything about Vargas (David Zayas) coming up?

[Laughs] I know, that’s so funny you say that. That’s like our inside joke on the show, is it Vargas? Nothing yet. Nothing yet I can say, but it would be great to see him again, too.

Is anything on your wish list for the coming seasons?

For me, I just love trusting the process. It’s gotten us this far, so I’m just excited to see where they go. But my number one wish always is to get to go back to Europe and act with those guys over there and get to get out of the city for a little bit. So hopefully we do get to see some crossovers soon.

Behind a oner with #FBI S7 E7 Director, Eriq La Salle pic.twitter.com/XnJSD6ySel

— Wolf Entertainment (@WolfEnt) December 12, 2024

What have been your favorite scenes to film from this season?

My favorite scene was in last week’s episode, we got to do an incredible one in the interrogation room where we did three interrogations at once and it was like going back to theater and dance and it was this choreographed piece that when you got it, you got it. And it took us a nice chunk of time, but it was super fun. That room, it’s just incredible how we keep finding new ways to shoot it and new moments to find in there.

Is anything new coming up for OA?

As of right now, I think we’re dealing with the relationship and we’ll see what happens when they bring in a new character and things like that. But we’re kind of in the sweet spot right now. We’ll see what’s going to happen with Gemma and we’ll see what’s going to happen with the rest of us. But nothing new. We’ve got three more seasons to do this, so hopefully no crazy twists and turns.

Any significant OA and Jubal (Jeremy Sisto) or OA and Isobel (Alana De La Garza) scenes?

There is one, and it’s in this episode we’re filming right now, in 12. There’s a fun little one with me and Isobel where we learn something very cool and very out of left field about her that I cannot share, but I am excited for that moment for everybody.

FBI, Returns, Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 8/7c, CBS